A former Meta engineering manager used AI tools to build a mobile game that he says has made $155K with no paid marketing
Ken had not coded in four years, learned AI-assisted development on a small card game, then grew his main game mostly through Reddit posts.
Subject: Ken (solo mobile game developer)Mobile game with in-app purchases
Case Overview & Background
Ken spent about 12 years in big tech, most recently as an engineering manager at Meta and before that as a software engineer at Amazon. In early 2024, with AI tools gaining traction, he wanted to see if he could build with AI help. He first built a simple card game in about six weeks, then built his own mobile game while still working full time and launched it about a year and a half before the interview.
How AI Is Used
Step-by-Step Process
He built a simple card game first to learn shipping end to end.
He chose a game because he knew gaming well.
A Reddit post took revenue from about $1,000 to about $10,000 a month.
Customer Acquisition & Distribution
Limitations, Risks & Failure Modes
What may not apply to you, and what could go wrong:
- The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
- He had years of engineering experience that most beginners lack
- Game revenue can drop when player interest fades
Key Takeaways
- AI tools helped an experienced engineer get back to building quickly
- One genuine community post can change a small product's revenue
Sources
Starter Story: This app replaced my 9-5 ($155K/year)
Note: Video interview with transcript. States the $155K in revenue figure, the Reddit growth and the AI-assisted build.
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