Gaming App Business Success Stories [2025]
Have you ever thought about combining your love of games with entrepreneurship? Consider launching a gaming app business. In simple terms, this involves creating, developing, and marketing mobile games that users can download and play on their devices.
The allure of this business is rooted in the constant surge of interest in mobile gaming. By designing engaging, fun, and addictive games, you can capture a slice of this booming market. The beauty of this venture is its flexibility—while you initially wear many hats from concept to execution, success might allow you to delegate and expand.
Building a gaming app isn’t a walk in the park. It requires a solid understanding of game design, programming, and user experience, alongside relentless testing and marketing efforts. Yet, for those passionate about gaming, it’s a chance to turn that passion into a profitable venture. If you can commit to the journey, a gaming app business could be an exciting and rewarding enterprise.
In this list, you'll find real-world gaming app business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a gaming app business that makes money.
1. Online Solitaire ($180K/year)
Holger, a designer-turned-developer, came up with the idea for Online Solitaire after experiencing both a burnout and a failed startup venture. He wanted to work on a project that could generate passive income while leveraging his design skills. Observing that many solitaire websites lacked a well-designed interface, he saw an opportunity to create a better version that focused on aesthetics and usability.
Inspired by Patrick McKenzie's success with Bingo Card Creator, Holger sought out to improve a simple, existing concept rather than invent something brand new. He conducted initial research by scripting App Annie for games that met specific criteria: significant search demand, existing market validation, and a noticeable gap in quality. Holger identified solitaire as a viable option due to its existing popularity and the potential for design improvements.
During the ideation phase, Holger faced the challenge of ensuring his product stood out in a crowded market. He relied on his design background to make aesthetic enhancements and created an MVP within a few weeks to test market reception. This approach allowed him to iterate quickly based on user feedback and revise his designs to improve the user experience, successfully transforming his passion for coding and design into a side-hustle with growth potential.
How much money it makes: $180K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
Designer-turned-developer creates Online Solitaire, an online gaming website that features popular solitaire games such as Klondike, Spider, and Freecell, earning about $1,500 each month from SEO and optimization tools like Moz and Firebase.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
