If Someone Told You a Free Game Could Generate Billions Would You Believed Them?

I grew up in a time when going to college was imperative, and everyone strived to be a doctor or lawyer, etc.  Skateboards, BMX bikes, and leather sneakers had just come out, and everyone wanted them.  Those who could afford them got them and those who could not work doing odd jobs mowing lawns and pushing the food cart at bingo.  I remember saying I wanted to be a skateboarder and hearing my father saying something to the effect that I was crazy etc.  

Well, fast forward 40 years and those same skateboarders have multi-million dollar business from boards to clothing.  The X Games have made millionaires out of long hair pool skating, rail-jumping kids shredding all the while getting TV shows and hat deals.  

I now have children of my own and will never tell my kids not to do anything...just as long as they are the best at what they do.  Which brings me to the original point I was trying to make.  All during the time of my youth I have seen games like Atari to XBox and PS4 come a long way. Now with mobile phones being accessible on a global scale it is amazing how many people both young and old play games like Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Pokemon Go, Bejeweled, Madden Football just to name a few.  What amazes, even more, is that people spend money on these games.  Who am I to judge even though I do not spend money on these types of games.  But I will tell you that I do spend money on apps that help me get an edge in my fantasy league (which I play for money...I mean entertainment purposes).  This brings me to my next point.

Sports around the world varies, but the love for sports is pretty intense.  You couple that with a mobile app that you can interact with your friends and gain loyalty points for prizes from your favorite sport is a recipe for pure greatness.  Then you change from watching an advertisement for free to watching advertisements for loyalty points, and you have a winner.  A free mobile sports app you can interact with family,  friends, and celebrities while getting prizes for your loyalty.

We do not live in a world where the thought of someone being a skateboarder is unrealistic.  Now it is just how bad does the kid (or an adult for that matter) want it.  And there is no reason now that it seems out of reach for a free app to make billions.  Clash of Clans which is a free to play game, (with in-play purchases) was doing over 1 million dollars per day.  And behind that game were people who developed the game and are now millionaires.  If they had come to you and said they would allow you to give the game away for free, and they would give you a piece of the revenue would you have taken them up on it knowing what you know now?