The two real reasons were guilt over the game’s addictive nature and the loss of his simple life. He began receiving messages from parents and players saying the game was disrupting their lives, causing children to break their phones, and keeping people hooked for hours. Nguyen said the guilt was keeping him awake at night. Before the game went viral, Nguyen was a quiet, independent developer living in Hanoi, Vietnam. Almost overnight, paparazzi, journalists, and local authorities began hounding him and invading his privacy. The sudden spotlight and pressure became overwhelming. The myths that Nintendo sued him over the green pipes or that Apple and Google banned the app were later proven false.