A record number of projects were funded through Kickstarter in 2021, despite a relatively low amount of money raised overall.
Per stats from analysts Ico Partners, backers on Kickstarter funded 441 games on the fundraising platform last year, compared to its previous record of 429 set in 2020. Interestingly, however, the projects amassed just $24 million dollars, which is at the lower end of Kickstarter’s yearly funding amounts for game projects.
?Kickstarter and games in 2021 – a thread with charts and numbers!
Let’s start with video games. ?
$24m last year puts 2021 in line with 2020, if a little bit lower.
But a record year for the number of unique project funded: 441 pic.twitter.com/GYsLRV6dEp— Thomas Bidaux ✨ (@icotom) February 21, 2022
2013 saw the number raised at $56 million and included the campaign for Mighty No. 9, which raised close to $4 million by itself.
As 2021 saw more projects funded than ever before but a relatively low amount raised, it seems that more developers are perhaps using Kickstarter to fund their games but asking for less money overall – potentially combining crowdfunds with investment from other parties.
Some of the most funded games of the year included the rhythm game Friday Night Funkin’: The Full Ass Game at more than $2.2 million, 16-bit beat ’em up PAPRIUM at $895,000, and monster-hunting MMORPG Untamed Isles at more than $500,000.
Tabletop games proved even more successful and had record numbers in both categories last year. Backers funded 3,518 tabletop games compared to 3,159 the year before and funding totals reached $272 million, compared to $241 in 2020.
Though any numbers for this year are still a while away, 2022 has already seen Kickstarter success with Yacht Club Games’ new project, Mina the Hollower.
The Shovel Knight developer announced it would be partially funding the game through Kickstarter on February 2 and blew past its goal almost immediately, receiving more than $370,000 in just a few hours.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.
