After quickly coding a viral colour memory game using AI, Canadian product designer Geoff Teehan and his son Sam are expanding their project into a full gaming company called Dialed, boasting over 26 million plays worldwide without paid marketing.
- Viral AI-powered memory game hits 26M plays globally
- Father and son co-found a new gaming startup, Dialed
- Focus on affordable, browser-based games monetized via ads
What happened
In February, Geoff Teehan, a seasoned Canadian product designer, created a simple yet addictive colour memory game called Color using AI coding tools. Despite limited coding experience, he launched the game within hours, testing users' ability to recall and reproduce colours from memory. The game quickly gained traction after Geoff shared it on social media platforms, amassing half a million plays within days and catching the attention of popular online streamers.
Recognizing an opportunity, Geoff enlisted his son Sam, a recent university graduate, to help manage the project. Together, they expanded their offerings by developing additional similar memory games under the Dialed brand, which have collectively surpassed 26 million completed plays across more than 200 countries. The project was originally built hastily and cost thousands to maintain, but the duo are now focused on improving the technical foundation to support growth and monetization.
Why it matters
The success of Dialed exemplifies how AI tools can rapidly empower creators without traditional software development backgrounds to build engaging digital products. This father-son collaboration highlights a new frontier where AI accelerates product design and iteration cycles, driving viral growth even without paid marketing budgets.
Their approach also indicates potential shifts in gaming startup dynamics, with a focus on simple browser-based experiences that attract global audiences through social engagement and streamer amplification. Monetizing via advertising rather than upfront fees aligns with current trends in casual gaming, offering scalable revenue prospects for emerging companies leveraging AI efficiencies.
What to watch next
Moving forward, Geoff and Sam will prioritize refining the Dialed platform’s backend infrastructure to reduce operating costs and enhance scalability. They plan to add new game titles following similar memory-testing themes while developing advertising monetization strategies to turn user engagement into sustainable revenue streams.
Industry observers and investors may find interest in how this AI-assisted, rapid-prototyping model evolves as a viable business in the competitive gaming landscape. The duo’s ability to sustain growth without significant capital investment or traditional development resources could inspire further innovation in how games are created, marketed, and monetized globally.