Multiple Offers

December 20, 2010.

Inigo sat at his desk, sipping his now-lukewarm coffee as he opened his email. He had barely checked it in the past few days, too busy monitoring Flappy Bird's continuous rise.

As his inbox loaded, his eyes widened.

Inbox (Unread): 1,284

"…What the hell?"

The sheer number of unread emails was absurd. He started scrolling, quickly realizing what was happening.

Big brands. Advertising agencies. Game publishers. Everyone was desperate to cash in on the Flappy Bird phenomenon.

[URGENT] Sponsorship Offer – Coca-Cola

[Exclusive Partnership] McDonald's Wants to Work with You

Flappy Bird + Samsung? Let's Talk.

Google Ads Premium – Special Revenue Share Proposal

Tencent: Let's discuss your game's potential in China

Nike – Interested in featuring Flappy Bird in our next campaign

Hundreds of proposals flooded his inbox.

This wasn't just ad revenue anymore. This was corporate warfare.

Inigo clicked on a few of the biggest offers.

Google Ads – Exclusive Deal

Subject: Let's talk about boosting your revenue.

From: Google AdMob Executive

[Hello, Mr. Flappy Bird Dev,

We've been watching Flappy Bird's incredible rise, and we'd like to offer you an exclusive premium revenue-sharing model.

Instead of the standard 60-40 split, we're willing to offer an 85-15 revenue share in your favor. Additionally, we can prioritize high-value advertisers on your game, ensuring you receive only the most premium CPM rates.

Let's set up a call to discuss the details.

Best,

John Peterson

Google AdMob Executive]

85-15 revenue share?!

That meant millions more in revenue. But it wasn't just Google…

[Coca-Cola – Sponsored In-Game Ads

Subject: Coca-Cola x Flappy Bird – Let's Make It Happen!

From: Coca-Cola Marketing Team

Hi there!

We are very interested in collaborating with Flappy Bird. We'd like to discuss an exclusive in-game ad sponsorship, where Coca-Cola branding would appear as billboards in the background of your game.

We're prepared to offer an upfront payment of $5,000,000 USD for this deal.

Let us know if you're open to discussing further.

Regards,

Coca-Cola Global Advertising Team]

Five million dollars? Just to display Coca-Cola billboards in the background?!

Inigo exhaled, rubbing his temples. This was getting crazy.

And then, there was the most aggressive offer yet…

[Tencent – Buyout Proposal

Subject: Let's Discuss the Future of Flappy Bird

From: Tencent Holdings Ltd.

Dear Flappy Bird Developer,

We at Tencent are very impressed with your game's massive success in Asia and worldwide.

We would like to discuss a full acquisition of Flappy Bird, where Tencent will acquire the full rights to the game.

We are prepared to offer $25 million USD upfront, plus a 5% revenue share on all future earnings from the game.

Additionally, we can assist in launching a Flappy Bird merchandise line, physical arcade machines, and console versions of the game.

Please let us know a time we can set up a meeting.

Best regards,

Eric Zhou

Director, Tencent Games]

$25 million upfront.

Inigo stared at the email for a long moment. $25 million upfront, plus royalties? For a game he had coded in a couple of weeks?

It was tempting, insanely tempting. If he accepted, he'd never have to worry about money again.

But that was exactly why he wasn't going to sell.

He wasn't some struggling indie developer in desperate need of a payday. He was already rich.

Flappy Bird was generating millions per month in ad revenue, and it was still growing. If he sold now, he'd make less than what he'd earn just by letting the game run for another year.

Tencent wasn't offering $25 million out of generosity—they were offering it because they knew Flappy Bird was a gold mine, and they wanted to own the entire operation.

Not happening.

Inigo leaned back in his chair, staring at the email from Google AdMob.

85-15 revenue share.

It was a no-brainer. Unlike Tencent's buyout, which would strip him of ownership, Google's deal allowed him to retain full control while significantly boosting his revenue. With Flappy Bird's daily active users in the millions, even a small increase in ad rates meant millions of dollars in extra income per month.

He cracked his knuckles and began typing.

[To: John Peterson (Google AdMob Executive)

Subject: Re: Let's talk about boosting your revenue

Hi John,

I appreciate the offer, and I'm interested in moving forward with the 85-15 revenue share. I'd also like to ensure we're getting the highest possible CPM rates for premium advertisers.

Let me know what the next steps are.

Best,

Flappy Bird Dev]

He hit send.

This was the best move for now—secure higher ad revenue, avoid the complications of a buyout, and keep his identity under wraps.

Seconds later, an auto-reply pinged back.

Thank you for reaching out. A representative will contact you within 24 hours to finalize the agreement.

The next afternoon, Inigo's burner phone rang—a number from Mountain View, California.

He took a deep breath before answering.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Flappy Bird Dev! This is John Peterson from Google AdMob. It's great to finally speak with you."

"Likewise." Inigo kept his voice neutral, masking any emotions.

"We're thrilled that you're joining our premium revenue-sharing program," John continued. "With Flappy Bird's insane traffic, we can prioritize top-tier advertisers, increasing your effective CPM rates significantly."

"What kind of increase are we talking about?" Inigo asked.

"Well, right now, you're making around $200,000 per day in ad revenue. With our adjustments, you could be looking at a 35-50% increase."

Inigo's mind raced.

A 50% increase? That meant $300,000 per day. $9 million per month.

"And this won't affect the user experience?"

"Not at all," John assured him. "It's the same ad placements, but instead of standard advertisers, you'll get brands like Apple, Nike, and Samsung bidding for your ad space."

Inigo liked the sound of that. Big brands meant higher ad rates.

John continued, "We'll send over the legal documents today. Once signed, the new rates will go live within 48 hours."

"Understood," Inigo replied. "Send the paperwork."

"Looking forward to working together!"

The call ended.

That evening, Inigo opened the documents from Google. He skimmed through the terms:

 85-15 revenue split in his favor.

Guaranteed premium ad placements.

Projected 50% increase in revenue.

He signed electronically and sent it back.

It was done.

Now, all he had to do was wait.

Two days later, he checked his dashboard.

His eyes widened.

Flappy Bird – Ad Revenue (Last 24 Hours): $324,510.89

Total Revenue Since Launch: $12,852,340 (~₱575 million)

"Holy sh*t…" he muttered.

Over $300,000 in a single day.

That was $9.7 million per month.

At this rate, he'd cross $100 million in earnings within a year.

He leaned back in his chair, exhaling.

He had just secured the biggest gaming ad deal of 2010—and no one even knew who he was.

But of course, a hype in this game would only be a hype. Due to its simplistic nature, people would grow bored with the game. So his mind is already coming up with an idea.

He has to start working on a new game now.