"The Flock" will one day intentionally go offline after a total of 215,358,979 player deaths.
According to the game's developer, Vogeslap, all the players in the game will basically have to combine for a total of 215,358,979 player deaths among all of them before "The Flock" goes offline.
The 215,358,979 number represents the population number inside "The Flock;" and the aim behind the game going offline once that number turns to zero is to give players the idea of what extinction might feel like, according to Polygon.
When the time comes that the population number does dwindle to zero, only the players currently playing at that time will actually be granted to see the finale of "The Flock."
Vogeslap also appears to be intent on staying true to their concept of threatening players with the idea of extinction as the developer has already said the game will no longer be on sale once the population number reaches zero.
Vogeslap has also admitted that they have no idea when the population number might eventually reach zero, according to PC Gamer, meaning the game might meet an abrupt end either way ahead or way later than even the developer's projections.
Given the very nature of "The Flock" and its extinction mechanic, questions have arisen about possible ways that the system itself might be rigged through mass player suicides or other methods similar to it. The developer has suggested that they have no way to police players who engage in such practices, insisting that the actions of a few players will ultimately have a negligible impact on the intent of their game.
The game's developer has also said that there will only be two ways for the population number to increase in "The Flock;" and that is through either the game coming to additional platforms or if a player is discovered to be using bots. In the latter case, lives lost due to bots will be added back to the game.
"The Flock" will be released on Aug. 21.
