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This income claim has not been independently verified. This article shows what the person shared so readers can see the workflow.

Evidence grade B
Evidence B: First-hand accountSelf-reported revenue, widely covered by the press.

Build a free browser game with AI and sell ad slots inside it

Pieter Levels built a free flight simulator by prompting Cursor and sold placements inside the game. He reported a $1M annual run rate 17 days after launch; a 2026 recap says it now earns nothing.

CursorSolo foundersCreators
Get the prompt

Added Oct 15, 2026Source: 404 Media

Income claim
Unverified claim$87,000 a month, a $1M annual run rate, 17 days after launch (self-reported); later listed at $0 a month
Money comes from
In-game ad slots and branded blimps, plus a $29.99 F-16 upgrade.

Explain it simply

An indie founder described a simple 3D flying game to an AI coding tool and launched it free in the browser. Companies paid to put their brands inside the game, and some players bought an upgrade. His big following on X brought the players, and the income did not last.

How it works

  1. Describe the smallest playable version to an AI code editor, then keep improving it with short follow-ups.
  2. Launch it free in the browser and share the build in public.
  3. Sell placements inside the game, such as billboards or branded objects.
  4. Add one paid upgrade for keen players.
  5. Share revenue updates in public, as Levels does.

How it went

Levels reported $87,000 in monthly revenue 17 days after launch. A 2026 recap notes that his profile now lists the game at $0 a month.

  • A run rate, not $1M collected.
  • 404 Media pointed out that his roughly 623,000 X followers drove much of the demand.

Prompt

PromptWritten by our editors from the source
Build [game idea] as a single-page browser game in plain HTML and JavaScript using three.js.

Start with the smallest version someone can play in 30 seconds. Then list the next five improvements and wait for me to pick.

Add an ad-slot system that reads sponsors and their placements from a JSON file, so I can sell spots without changing the code.

Setup notes

  1. Levels’ own opening prompt was one line: "make a 3d flying game in browser with skyscrapers."
  2. Sell placements from a simple page, and keep advertiser details in a file you can edit.

Business fit

Who this suits, and how:

  • Solo foundersIndie founders can test an idea in a day and sell attention directly.
  • CreatorsCreators with an audience can turn a viral build into sponsor income.

See real examples

Evidence grade B means: The person who did the work describes the setup and results in detail. How we grade. Spotted a mistake? Suggest a correction.