(CNN) — Your app store may be getting a lot less flappy.
Both Apple and Google appear to be cracking down on new apps taking advantage of thedemise of “Flappy Bird,” the addictively simple casual game that became an unlikely sensation before its creator abruptly pulled it off the market last week.
Even before “Flappy Bird” topped the download charts last month, a cavalcade of knock-off games began appearing. A quick search for the word “flappy” in the Google Play store on Monday returned 250 results, from “Flappy Pig” and “Flappy Fish” to “Flappy Troll,” “Flappy Cat” (yes, it’s the Web’s beloved Nyan Cat) and even “Flappy Bieber.”
Then came Vietnamese developer Dong Nguyen’s abrupt announcement he was going to pull “Flappy Bird” from online stores. The resulting wave of publicity created even more demand for the game and others like it.
But now, developers say both major mobile players are pushing back.
