Kickstarter games funding holds at $26m as project count slips
Games companies raised $26m on Kickstarter in 2025, matching 2024, but successful projects fell 4% to 443, per Ico Partners data reported by gamesindustry.biz.
Games companies raised $26 million on Kickstarter in 2025, matching the total from 2024, according to data from Ico Partners reported by gamesindustry.biz. The number of successfully funded video game projects fell to 443, a 4% decline year on year.
The headline figure masks a shift toward larger campaigns. Fifty-five game projects raised more than $100,000, and 11 passed the $500,000 mark. Thomas Bidaux of Ico Partners noted that the last time so many projects cleared $500,000 was 2015.
Not every campaign ran smoothly. Skyhook Games, led by managing director David Harper, used Kickstarter to fund Lawn Mowing Simulator 2. Two large pledges were removed by Kickstarter, and the second removal pushed the campaign below its target in the final 24 hours. Kickstarter then extended the campaign by a week, and it finished successfully.
The platform's role in game funding is long established. Elite: Dangerous raised over £1.5 million on Kickstarter in 2012, a campaign run by Frontier Developments.
Others are less convinced the route is worth it. Daniel Milo, indie director at Timeless Toucan, advised studios against crowdfunding in a post on LinkedIn.
Quick answers
How much did games companies raise on Kickstarter in 2025?
$26 million, level with 2024 figures, according to Ico Partners data.
How many game projects were funded on Kickstarter in 2025?
443 video game projects were successfully funded, a 4% decrease from 2024.
What happened to Skyhook Games' Kickstarter campaign?
Two large pledges were removed by Kickstarter, and the second pushed the campaign below its target in the final 24 hours. Kickstarter extended it by a week and it completed successfully.