Should I buy a Flappy Bird phone on eBay?

[Charlie Wilkes]

With luck, I could probably snag one for less than $10k.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/technolo...-ebay/?cmpid=edpick&google_editors_picks=true

I see it as an investment opportunity. People are born every day, but they're not making any more Flappy Bird.

It seems like a no-brainer, but a tiny aneurysm of doubt is holding me back.

Advice welcome.

 

[commandlinegamer]

I think the moment's passed.

FWIW, I don't the game's particularly innovative.

I remember playing Airwolf (based on the popular TV series) on the Commodore-64 in the late 80s. You had to fly your helicopter through various caverns, from what I recall, and you had to keep adjusting the thrust to keep it airborne. If you let go of the controls, the thing would plummet like a stone.

 

[anglolawyer]

LOL. Can't think of a better use for ten grand. Buy it Charlie!

 

[Cuddles]

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/4-more-b.s.-news-stories-that-clogged-your-facebook-feed/

Not only are people not actually buying phones with a freely available game for thousands of dollars, you can't actually do that on ebay at all.

 

[Charlie Wilkes]

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/4-more-b.s.-news-stories-that-clogged-your-facebook-feed/

Not only are people not actually buying phones with a freely available game for thousands of dollars, you can't actually do that on ebay at all.

Do you mean to tell me the media is putting this out just because it makes a good story, even though it's not actually true?

Do reputable news outlets really do that sort of thing?

I guess I better stick with index funds.

 

[Cuddles]

Do you mean to tell me the media is putting this out just because it makes a good story, even though it's not actually true?

Do reputable news outlets really do that sort of thing?

While I'm sure you're being sarcastic, I actually do find it rather sad when Cracked, of all things, is a more reliable source for news than the majority of professional news organisations.

 

[This is The End]

There are tons of phones on my local craiglist for around $1000 just because it has flappy birds. I'm not sure if any have sold though. Which is also what that cracked article is assuming.

What is dumb is that you can just download the .apk, for free, from many sites. Just use google. (You have to watch out though because there are hacked ones around that do bad things.)

Which is why there is also an ad saying that someone will install it for $10 on any compatible phone. (It's not me. )

I'm pretty sure that cracked article is wrong about it being against eBays policy to sell phones with stuff installed (it links to a blog for a cite...).

I've seen tons of phones sell on eBay for higher amounts specifically because they are loaded with games. The same with Sony PS3s. Maybe they just all slip through??

 

[StevenLeonCooper]

No, and here's why:

1. It's not a good investment. (Most Important)
As others have said, the moment has passed. There's no particular reason for these phones to have any kind of price hike once people discover the rest of my list of reasons below.

2. It's not that special or unique.
The minute the game got yanked people were scrammbling to make knock-offs that had the exact same mechanics and those exact type of games have existed since before the NES came out so it's not like Flappy Bird cornered the market. It's just a one-hit-wonder/viral game. Whatever money you were planning on spending on a phone, I will write you a Windows App or Silverlight App that does the same thing for the same price; it's not a remotely complex piece of software.

3. You can easily get the game for free and no one can really tell it isn't "legit."
The ipa/apk file is widely available online and with a jailbroken iphone (I don't even think you have to root your Android device) it's no big thing to play the game. Anyone buying a phone for thousands of dollars was just throwing away money.

4. The "Demand" is excruciatingly exaggerated.
The news really hyped this story up. This thing isn't even as en vogue as Tickle-Me-Elmo circa '96.