'I was this close': Teen's video game makes over $1 million online, but he can't keep it

August 8, 2026 - 00:20

A teenager who built a video game in his spare time watched it generate over $1.3 million in online sales. But the young developer says he will not see most of that money, and he is fine with it.

The game, a quirky puzzle adventure, blew up on a popular digital storefront within weeks of its release. The 17-year-old creator, who goes by the handle "PixelPete," said he was shocked by the sudden success. "I was this close to deleting the project file a week before launch," he told reporters. "I thought nobody would care about a silly little game made in my bedroom."

The problem is not taxes or fees, though those take a cut. The real issue is the platform's refund policy. The store allows players to request a full refund within two hours of playtime, no questions asked. Many players finished the short game in under that time and then asked for their money back. The result: nearly 70 percent of the gross sales were refunded.

After refunds, platform fees, and payment processing costs, the teen's actual take-home is around $180,000. That is still a life-changing amount for a high school student, but it is far from the $1.3 million headline number. "People see the big figure and think I am rich," he said. "But I am just happy the game got played. The money is a bonus."

He plans to put most of the earnings into a college fund and reinvest in his next project. He also said he has no hard feelings toward players who refunded. "If you enjoyed the two hours, that is what matters. I will just make the next game longer."