These brothers are now instant millionaires after Zynga bought their Solitaire card games for $42.5 million

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solitaire harpan

Google Play/Harpan

Solitaire, by Harpan

Zynga's latest filing with the SEC reveals that it paid $42.5 million for four popular Solitaire smartphone games made by Harpan LLC.

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A perfectly normal acquisition, if a little steep. The real twist is that Harpan LLC is owned, operated, and staffed by a pair of brothers - Austin-based Tim Oswald and his Chicago-area brother William.

With one deal, they're both millionaires.

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This detail in Zynga's filing was first noted by Seeking Alpha.

Analyst firm App Annie shows that Solitaire, Harpan's flagship app, is currently the number-one card game on the Apple iOS App Store, and bounces in and out of the top 10 games overall. It's an advertising-supported free game that's described in its App Store listing as having "crisp, clear graphics, and a straight forward [sic] layout."

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Harpan also makes three additional card games, including Pyramid Solitaire, FreeCell, and Spider Solitaire, all offering a similar aesthetic. All of his games are available for iOS and Android.

Notably, Harpan isn't the Oswalds' only venture - Tim's LinkedIn profile connects him to "Tim O's Studios," a separately-listed developer on the Apple App Store that makes simple apps and games like "Calculator%" and "Guitar Tuner."

In a recent on-stage appearance at a Morgan Stanley event, Zynga CEO Frank Gibeau mentioned Harpan and how it fits in with the company's recent strategy of pursuing social card games supported by advertising.

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