Since its initial release in 2009, Angry Birds has taken the world by storm, leading to over four billion downloads worldwide. With its simple and engaging concept of flinging birds at structures to take down evil pigs, the game has remained a favorite among players for more than a decade.

Rovio Entertainment, the creators of Angry Birds, have made the decision to remove the classic version of the game from the Google Play store, citing the changing preferences of mobile gamers and the emergence of new mobile games. As a result, Android users will no longer be able to download the game on their devices.

This decision comes as no surprise, given that Rovio has shifted its focus towards newer games in recent years, with a freemium model that offers microtransactions for revenue. The game can currently be accessed under the name “Rovio Classics: AB” on the Indian Play Store for ₹95. Rovio has also released several free spinoffs of Angry Birds, such as Angry Birds Star Wars and Angry Birds Rio, and a sequel to the original game, Angry Birds 2.

Despite the classic version of Angry Birds being removed from Google Play, the game will still be accessible on the Apple App Store. However, it will have a new name, “Red’s First Flight.”

In a statement on Twitter, Rovio Entertainment said, “We have reviewed the business case of Rovio Classics: Angry Birds, and due to the game’s impact on our wider games portfolio, we have decided that Rovio Classics: Angry Birds will be unlisted from the Google Play Store on Thursday, February 23. Additionally, the game will be renamed to Red’s First Flight in the App Store pending further review. Rovio Classics: Angry Birds will remain playable on devices on which the game has been downloaded, even after it has been unlisted.”

“We understand that this is sad news for many fans, as well as the team that has worked hard to make Rovio Classics: Angry Birds a reality. We are extremely grateful to the Angry Birds fans who have shown their love of the brand and this game from the beginning. We hope those fans can continue to bring that passion to our live Angry Birds slingshot games such as Angry Birds 2, Angry Birds Friends, and Angry Birds Journey, where our goal every day is to craft the best possible experience for players,” the statement added.