Build a mobile game with AI and no coding background: $1,042 in 6 months
A solo game built at night and on weekends around a full-time job.
It is not quit-your-job money, but it is real money from one small game built without coding skills.
Figures as shared by the creator · source
From @ARRCWoodStudios on YouTube · Sep 2026
The workflow
Made with
Where & with what
What they did
- 1The moveRobert "Woody" Wood is not a programmer and has no computer science degree.
- 2Step 2Pick a simple, proven game format
- 3Step 3Build it step by step with an AI coding assistant
- 4ResultAfter six months he reports $1,042.46 in net revenue: $863.96 from ads and $178.50 from in-app purchases, with September ad earnings estimated at over $300.
Quick answers
What tools do you need?
Claude (ai assistant for writing, products and building small tools).
How much does it cost?
You can start for $0: Claude has a free plan. Check each tool's site for current prices.
Is it allowed?
Follow the platform rules and disclose ads.
Try it yourself
I have no coding background and want to build a simple mobile puzzle game with an AI coding assistant. Plan it as 6 small milestones, each with a plain-English prompt for the AI and a quick test, and include setting up ads and one in-app purchase.
Starter tools
Your first step
Open Claude, paste the prompt above and swap the [brackets] for your own niche.
Full write-up & sources
More detail: He built his first app, an anime tracker, with Cursor, and builds every app with AI, working with Claude and keeping notes of each session so he can pick up the next day. His first game, Mahjong Slide, went live on the Apple App Store on March 11, 2026, and earns from ads through Google AdMob and from in-app purchases.
Results: A setup mistake meant three months of ad payouts arrived late, in one $224.52 payment. The video has 247 views (YouTube, Oct 17, 2026).
Worth knowing: Set up ad payouts properly before launch.
Source: @ARRCWoodStudios on YouTube · Sep 2026. Summarised in our own words; figures as shared by the creator. Updated .
