Kickstarters are wonderful, powerful, and effective; they bring people together as community backers to fund the production of something they all want. In the case of video games, many instances of now-popular games were produced and released with the help of tens of thousands of backers.
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Ultimately, Kickstarters tend to be a win-win, both for the consumer-side and the developer-side of things. Plus, it can be refreshing to see such large-scale, passionate crowdfunding for video games that people are excited about. If you’ve ever wondered which Kickstarters have been the most successful, however, look no further than this list.
10Shenmue 3
The third installment of the Shenmue Series,Shenmue 3was eventually published on PC and PS4 by Deep Silver with the help of 69,320 backers, crowdfunding a staggering total of $6,333,295. The series first started in 1999 and falls into the action-adventure genre.
Backers could give anywhere from five dollars to $10,000, the latter of which would allow you to either become an actual NPC in the game or receive a replica jacket and a dinner with Japanese game designer Yu Suzuki in Los Angeles.
9Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night
A side-scrolling platformer with RPG and crafting elements that took inspiration from other “Igavania” games,Bloodstained: Ritual of the Nightwas supported by 64,867 backers, which were able to come together and raise an impressive $5,545,991.
Backers invested anywhere from five dollars to $3,000, the latter of which allowed you to turn one of your pets into an enemy within the game. Given such a steep price tag, only five lucky backers were able to ‘digitize’ their furry friends and put them into the game.
8Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
Built upon a traditional, party and turn-based JRPG battle system and the ability to build up a “fortress town,” Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes attracted 46,307 backers to raise a total of ¥481,621,841. In USD, that’s about $3.3 million.
The Kickstarter achieved every one of its goals, with backers spending anywhere between ¥4,000 and ¥500,000. The most invested backers received a plethora of rewards, such as t-shirts, art books, vinyl soundtracks, beta access, special discord roles, and even the option to put your own cat in the game.
7Torment: Tides Of Numenera
Released on various PC platforms, PS4, and Xbox One,Torment: Tides of Numenerais a story-driven CRPG that had 74,405 backers. Through investments ranging from five dollars to $500, this Kickstarter raised a little over $4 million.
Related:The Best CRPGs And Why You Need to Play Them
With the original goal being $900,000, backers were able to get the team behind the game to develop extra features. Some, but not all, of these features included: increased companion depth, a deeper, more complex story than originally intended, and even an extra major city.
6Pillars Of Eternity
Originally called Project Eternity,Pillars of Eternityis an isometric RPG set in a fantasy world with party-based mechanics. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, the game was able to eventually release with the help of 73,986 backers, which collectively contributed nearly $4 million.
The highest amount backers could donate came in the form of an “Ultimate Pledge Pack,” which cost $10,000. The five backers who could afford this ultimate package got a slew of physical items and downloadable content, a personal tour of Obsidian’s office, and a board game of their choice with relevant staff.
5Mighty No. 9
Described as a classic Japanese side-scroller, 67,226 backers came together to make Keiji Inafune’s dream come true, raising $3,845,170 in total. The highest-paying backers were rewarded with shirts, concept art, 3D-printed boss models, and even a dinner in Tokyo with Inafune himself.
Similar to Pillars of Eternity, the original goal was $900,000. While some notable bonuses included extra characters and online, co-op challenge modes, the most interesting has to be the wide array of ports, bringing the game to various consoles like the PS Vita, 3DS, PS4, and others.
4Double Fine Adventure
A rather interesting point-and-click adventure game with video elements, Double Fine Adventure was overseen by game director Tim Schafer. The initial goal of $400,000 was achieved in a mere eight hours, climbing to a grand total of $3,336,371 with the help of 87,142 backers.
While the gameplay is quite novel and certainly different from most of the games you’ve likely played, the most intriguing aspect of it all was the studio’s decision to keep the development process completely transparent through regularly released ‘behind the scenes’ videos.
3Ashes Of Creation
Although pledges only went as high as $455, Ashes of Creation is a high-fantasy, open-worldMMORPGthat raised an impressive $3.2 million with the help of only 19,576 backers, a number much lower than the average. Despite the Kickstarter being inactive for years, the game is still in periodic testing to this day.
Related:Best MMORPGs For Solo Players
While the initial goal was $750,000, the surplus of cash was used to give players parlor minigames, a variety of small, cute pets, more mounts, unique weapon skins and skill FX exclusive to backers, enhanced naval content, and even a new, in-depth economic system.
2Yooka-Laylee
Referred to as a spiritual successor to the Banjo-Kazooie games and Donkey Kong Country,Yooka-Layleewas created by Playtonic Games. With the help of 73,206 backers, the Kickstarter raised a little over £2.08 million, roughly $2.6 million.
While the game is structured as a modern platformer, it’s meant to capture the nostalgia of similar games from the N64 era. You play as a lovable lizard and bat duo, exploring various levels, searching for collectibles, and defeating enemies with a variety of abilities.
1Wasteland 2
Lifted off the ground thanks to over 61,000 backers, Wasteland 2 is a post-apocalypticRPGthat reached number one on the Steam sales charts. Despite an initial $900,000 goal, the Kickstarter raised nearly $3 million; maybe all those extra pledges took the game’s development to another level.
One of the most heartwarming aspects of the Kickstarter is that Brian Fargo, founder of Interplay Productions, knew that the overall cost of production would require one million dollars. Nonetheless, the overall funding goal was set to $900,000 because he was willing to cover the remaining $100,000 with his own money.
