Table of Contents
Mighty No. 9 - $4,031,550
Up next is Mighty No. 9, which raised a staggering $4,031,550. Keiji Inafune, the brilliant mind behind Mega Man, supervised the development of this action-packed platform for eager fans.
Years ago, when Mighty No. 9 was first announced, many gamers were enthusiastic. However, the game’s journey faced significant delays, and many criticized its project creator, Comcept, for its decision to crowdfund another project. Critics also complained about the game’s graphics, lack of content, acting, story, and technical performance.
Project Eternity / Pillars of Eternity - $3,986,929
Another successful campaign by Obsidian Entertainment, Project Eternity (later known as Pillars of Eternity), raised $3,986,929 on Kickstarter. This campaign’s success reaffirmed the demand for high-quality, narrative-driven RPGs, attracting like-minded backers who shared a love for such games, leading to a highly anticipated sequel.
The detailed campaign page, offering insights into the game’s world, mechanics, and characters, was crucial in attracting backers.
Despite some pathfinding issues, Pillars of Eternity’s combat was praised for its depth and complexity. The graphics and artwork were valued for their detail and effects, even though some found the style dated. The in-depth writing received acclaim, though many complained about its lack of humor.
Overall, the voice acting, sound, and music were well-received, enhancing the game’s immersive experience. The game’s success demonstrated a strong appetite for rich, story-driven RPGs and highlighted the power of crowdfunding one’s own projects to achieve goals.
Psychonauts 2 - $3,829,024
Psychonauts 2 brought back the quirky and imaginative world of Psychonauts, immersing players in a whimsical and fantastical universe.
Like in the first game, Raz is a young acrobat on a mission to become a Psychonaut. These elite agents use their psychic powers to battle those who exploit their abilities for evil. Raz’s journey is packed with thrilling training sessions, mind-bending adventures, and intense confrontations with sinister forces.
With $3,829,024 raised, Double Fine Productions showed that there was still significant interest in the unique platformer after more than a decade since the first game’s release.
The sequel continued the story with even more creative level designs, deep character development, and the signature humor that fans loved. Double Fine Productions brought new ideas to life with the sequel, showcasing innovative concepts that captivated both old and new fans.
Broken Age - $3,336,371
Broken Age was a trailblazer on Kickstarter, originally dubbed Double Fine Adventure. This point-and-click adventure game from Double Fine Productions amassed $3,336,371 from its backers. With an initial goal of $400,000, the project hit its target in nine hours and surpassed $1,000,000 within the first day.
What made this point-and-click adventure game unique? It transparently showed backers how it was made. Double Fine built trust with its supporters through regular updates, backer messages, and behind-the-scenes content and created a model for future crowdfunding campaigns.
Moreover, the game’s charming art style, engaging story, and nostalgia for classic adventure games resonated well with backers.
Project CARS Funding Platform - $3,142,808
Project CARS, which stands for Community Assisted Racing Simulator, was a sim racing video game by Slightly Mad Studios. During the campaign, it raised a cool $3,142,808 without the help of a conventional publisher.
The game’s creators and community members generated funds independently by purchasing the tool packs. Members get different benefits depending on what tool packs they buy. In exchange for their work, members will receive rewards and a quarterly payment equal to a percentage of the game’s sales revenue over the first three years following the launch.
This thrilling motorsport racing video game comprises 74 drivable cars, over 30 unique locations, and at least 110 courses, of which 23 are real and the rest fictional.
Sadly, E.A., which bought Project CARS from Slightly Mad Studios, decided to concentrate on other titles in its portfolio after seeing the game’s lack of growth potential.
“Decisions like these are very hard, but allow us to prioritize our focus in areas where we believe we have the strongest opportunity to create experiences that fans will love,” E.A. said.
Wasteland 3 - $3,121,716
Next in line is Wasteland 3, the sequel to the post-apocalyptic RPG Wasteland 2, which was successfully funded on Kickstarter by raising a huge $3,121,716. This game continued the series’ legacy with deep role-playing mechanics and a compelling storyline. The campaign built on the success of its predecessor, Wasteland 2, and highlighted new features like cooperative gameplay and dynamic storytelling.
Despite receiving Best Role-Playing nominations at the Annual D.I.C.E. Awards and Game Awards 2020, this game fell short of clinching either title, ultimately giving way to Final Fantasy VII Remake in both instances. Still, the game’s devoted fanbase and critical acclaim showcase its lasting impact on the gaming community.
Wasteland is unique because it introduced the persistent world feature, where changes to the game’s open world were recorded and kept. Unlike other games, where everything was reset once the player left an area, Wasteland allowed players to return to an area later in the game and find it where the player left it.
Wasteland 2 - $2,933,252
Does lightning hit twice? For Wasteland, it does. The game’s success—which raised nearly three million dollars ($2,933,252)—was evidence of the high demand for traditional, story-driven role-playing games.
With the promise of a return to rich, choice-driven gameplay, inXile Entertainment’s advertising successfully appealed to fans of the original Wasteland.
At the time, the largest aim for a Kickstarter project was $900,000, with a minimum budget of $1,000,000. However, Fargo pledged to pay up to $100,000 if their efforts failed. However, in less than 43 hours, they reached their initial goal, and contributions quickly reached approximately 600,000.
BattleTech - $2,785,537
Enter the battlegrounds of the cosmos with BattleTech, a sci-fi strategy game that conquered the hearts of gamers and raised an impressive $2,785,537 during its campaign.
Harebrained Schemes made this game for tactical combat and warfare enthusiasts, attracting like-minded backers who shared a love for tactical combat.
The primary aim of the game is to play as a mercenary commander in command of a squad of formidable battle mechs. The player takes charge of a team of four mechs (a “lance”) and decides on their model, armor, pilot, weaponry, and abilities before entering battle. The player chooses one or more noble houses to serve in BattleTech, a planet where successful houses are engaged in a terrible battle.
The BattleTech universe showcases a lack of intelligent life forms other than humans. Humans are the sole sentient beings in the universe, except for a handful of brief fictional interactions.
Homestuck Adventure Game - $2,485,506
Embark on an epic journey with The Homestuck Adventure Game, a project that perfectly captured the vibe of the beloved webcomic and raised $2,485,506 in funding. The project raised a whopping $275k in hours, with 80% of the $700k goal pledged on day one. The game hit its full funding target of $700,000 in under 32 hours.
In this adventure, a group of teenagers dive into the beta version of the computer game Sburb, unwittingly triggering Earth’s downfall. Along the way, they encounter a quirky band of horned aliens posing as Internet trolls, forming an unlikely alliance to complete the game and craft a new universe.
The Homestuck Adventure Game brought new ideas to life with its unique storyline, amazing complex plot, super long length (almost 8,000 pages and 800,000 words), and passionate fan base.
Conclusion
These fifteen games were brought to life by creative visionaries and showcased the power of crowdfunding in the gaming world. They highlight gamers’ projects and diverse