Kickstarter
Kickstarter business and news from across the web.
Latest coverage
"Crowdfunding is fundamentally a marketing and a community exercise" – What developers need to know about funding a game with Kickstarter in 2026
Crowdfunding, particularly on platforms like Kickstarter, remains a viable, albeit challenging, method for game developers to secure partial funding and build community. While headline figures have decreased since 2015, 2025 saw $26 million raised across 443 successful projects, with 55 exceeding $100,000. Success now requires a near-complete game, significant marketing, and an engaged audience, shifting crowdfunding's focus from a funding source to a marketing and community exercise.
Legends of Aria Eternal arrives to Steam September 10 with a box price and dedicated server capability
Legends of Aria Eternal, the second reboot of the sandbox MMORPG, will launch on Steam on September 10th. This version introduces dedicated server capabilities allowing players to host and customize their own servers, alongside changes to gear acquisition and a return to a swappable skills system. The game will have a one-time purchase price with no subscription or premium gates.
The Guild’s movie Kickstarter nears $4M in funding, adds Nathan Fillion and Misha Collins to cast
The Kickstarter campaign for The Guild reunion film has surpassed $3.7 million, adding Nathan Fillion and Misha Collins to its cast. The funding has unlocked several stretch goals, including shooting in Los Angeles and additional shoot days, with further goals for expanded sets and behind-the-scenes features.
The Guild Reunion Movie: Ren Faire’d has already funded on Kickstarter with over $2.5M in less than a day
Felicia Day's reunion movie for the webseries The Guild has successfully crowdfunded on Kickstarter, surpassing its $1.5 million goal within a day and reaching over $2.5 million. The project, which aims to celebrate the webseries' 20th anniversary, will feature the original cast and a Renaissance Faire theme, with additional merchandise including a dating sim card game and a tabletop RPG.
A Unique Cast Of Characters Emerge In Retro-Inspired 2D-Platformer ‘DekaDuck’ Coming Soon To PC via STEAM™
Indie developer Asteristic Game Studio announced DekaDuck, a retro-inspired 2D action platformer with hand-drawn art, coming soon to PC. Players control a half-duck, half-robot bounty hunter utilizing a detachable mechanical arm for combat and traversal across six stages. The game is inspired by classics like MegaMan and Alien Soldier and is currently seeking support via Kickstarter, with a playable demo available on Steam.
How Small Game Studios Are Bootstrapping in 2026
The article analyzes how small game studios can bootstrap their development in 2026 without external funding, highlighting platforms like Itch.io for concept validation, Steam Early Access for revenue generation, Kickstarter for community-funded projects, and Poki for publishing partnership and player data. It emphasizes that these methods are not mutually exclusive and depend on a studio's immediate needs.
Funding sources for UK studios in 2026: what's on offer, and the requirements developers need to be aware of
This guide outlines various funding sources available to UK game developers in 2026, including the Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) tax relief, development grants from sources like the UK Games Fund and Epic MegaGrant, and incubator/accelerator programs. It also touches on private funding through venture capital and crowdfunding, emphasizing the importance of understanding terms related to IP ownership, exclusivity, and government funding caps.
Kickstarter rolls back new mature content guidelines after week of backlash
Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter has reverted its new, more restrictive adult content guidelines after facing significant backlash from creators and users. The company cited pressure from its payment processor, Stripe, as the reason for the initial change, which banned content like "implied sex acts" and specific adult content terms. Kickstarter COO Sean Leow stated the company aims to regain user trust and continue supporting bold creative work.
Evening Crowdfunding
Kickstarter has apologized for its recently criticized adult content rules, admitting they "botched it" and betrayed the platform's "f*ck the establishment spirit." The company is addressing backlash regarding its policy changes.
"Honestly? We botched it" - Kickstarter apologises for its criticised adult content rules, and for betraying its "f*ck the establishment spirit"
Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter has apologized for its recently implemented adult content rules, admitting they "botched" the changes and alienated its community. The new guidelines, introduced due to clashes with payment provider Stripe, were too restrictive and abandoned Kickstarter's counterculture spirit. Kickstarter will revert to its previous guidelines while working on new ones that better balance creator freedom with payment processor requirements.
Kickstarter rolls back its mature content policy after outcry
Kickstarter has reversed its recently implemented mature content policy following significant backlash from creators. The crowdfunding platform will revert to its previous rules regarding content guidelines.
Crowdfunding for Indie Games: Expectations vs. Reality
Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Fig offer a vital financial lifeline for indie game developers struggling to secure funding. While not every campaign meets expectations, a well-prepared campaign with appealing assets, a playable demo, and clear communication can attract supporters and investors. Developers should set realistic goals, engage with their community, and understand that a successful campaign is just the beginning of fulfilling development promises.
Morning Metaverse
The FCC has reportedly angered small carriers by allowing AT&T and Starlink to purchase EchoStar spectrum. Separately, Kickstarter has allegedly been forced to ban NSFW content due to demands from Stripe. YouTube is also evolving its TV app.
More than 400 backers have already supported the Kickstarter campaign!
A Kickstarter campaign has launched to fund the physical production of a new retro adventure game for the Nintendo Game Boy, featuring the 'Space Sweeper' character. The campaign, which has already surpassed 400 backers, aims to raise €5,000 over 15 days and offers digital and limited boxed editions.
PSA: The Guild Movie has opened signups for its impending Kickstarter
Actress Felicia Day has announced signups for a Kickstarter campaign to fund a full-length movie based on the web series The Guild. Fans can sign up to be notified when the crowdfunding drive begins, with a target release for the film set for 2027. The movie aims to reunite the original cast for a new adventure.
Important lessons from running a successful video game crowdfunding campaign
Niina Fujioka of Playable Worlds, Inc. shared key lessons from their successful crowdfunding campaign for the MMORPG Stars Reach. She emphasized the importance of building a community, setting realistic funding goals, and transparently communicating the development journey to backers. Fujioka highlighted that crowdfunding platforms amplify a message but success hinges on understanding the audience and delivering on promises.
Multiplayer ARPG Darkhaven raised $500K on Kickstarter in spite of a gamer’s pledge antics
The multiplayer ARPG Darkhaven successfully reached its $500,000 Kickstarter funding goal, accumulating approximately $521,088 from over 5000 backers. The campaign faced some uncertainty due to a potential backer attempting to manipulate the funding goal without intending to fulfill pledges.
Backed By Backers Steam Festival
Crytivo is hosting the 'Backed by Backers' Steam Festival, celebrating crowdfunded game projects with support from Kickstarter. The event will feature over 150 titles, offering discounts and demos, and is open for developer submissions until April 3, 2026.
New Australian gaming print magazine CONTINUE announced, Kickstarter live now
A new Australian print magazine named CONTINUE, founded by journalists Mark Serrels and Jackson Ryan, has launched a Kickstarter campaign. The magazine aims to explore and celebrate video games and their cultural impact, addressing concerns about the decline of game writing and the rise of AI-generated content. The project emphasizes preservation and features Australian games and developers, with its first issue cover art referencing titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong and Untitled Goose Game.
Morning Crowdfunding
A Kickstarter campaign is underway to help Theresa Loong finish her documentary about Brenda Romero, a visionary game designer and mentor. The film aims to highlight Romero's significant contributions to the future of game development.