Flappy Bird is a 2013 mobile game, developed by Vietnam-based developer Dong Nguyen and published by .GEARS Studios, a small, independent game developer also based in Vietnam (read about the game here).

After the game was deleted from the App Store because of its addictive nature, hundreds of copycats have been created. They have the same gameplay but different look. One of these copycats is called Vladi Bird. It was created by De Ideale Wereld. It can be played online here.

(Image credit http://www.thegailygrind.com/2014/02/13/someone-created-online-version-flappy-birds-vladimir-putin-avoids-hairy-man-butts)

In this game the player must navigate Vladimir Putin through a maze of hairy man butts. The is an allusion to the notorious anti-gay law that was passed in Russia in 2013, and 2014 Olympic games that took place in Sochi, Russia and were accompanied by gay-rights controversies. In the background of the game the player can see stadium rows full of spectators with words “Sochi 2014” and the Olympic emblem on the top. In the sky there is is a rainbow symbolizing LGBTQ rights. Background music is the Russian national anthem. The game-over screen features an inscription “Gay Over” as a male voice says “Oh, yeah.”

LGBTQ Content in this game:

Queer game/narrative

Citations:

1. De Ideale Wereld. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.vier.be/deidealewereld
2. Garcia, A. (February 13, 2014). Someone Has Created An Online Version Of Flappy Bird Where Vladimir Putin Avoids Hairy Man Butts. Retrieved from http://www.thegailygrind.com/2014/02/13/someone-created-online-version-flappy-birds-vladimir-putin-avoids-hairy-man-butts
3. Vladi Bird. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://deidealewereld.vier.be/vladibird