The mobile indie game that took players by storm was downloaded over 50 million times and reportedly earned an astonishing $50,000 a day in ad revenue. However, much to the chagrin of its adoring public, “Flappy Bird” was suddenly scrapped by its developer, Dong Nguyen, and removed from smartphone app stores.

When questioned about the peculiar decision, Nguyen has consistently returned no comments. Only a brief message appeared on his twitter feed after the news, stating the decision was not a result of legal issues and that he simply could no longer keep the game.

Featuring retro styling similar to that of Nintendo’s super Mario Brothers, some had speculated it was Nintendo’s doing that sealed the fate of “Flappy Bird”. However, the gaming giant returned inquiries with a statement confirming their knowledge of the game and absolutely no motivation to seek its removal from app stores.

Perhaps Nguyen had painted himself in a corner making a game so simple and crisp, that any modification might lead to its ultimate downfall. One thing is for sure, risking the wrath of 50 million online gamers is less than an appealing prospect for most.