Top 10 Games That Started as Kickstarter Projects

Stoic Studio’s Banner Saga is another Kickstarter triumph, blending tactical combat with Norse-inspired storytelling. The 2012 campaign raised far more than expected, allowing the developers—former BioWare staff—to craft a visually stunning and narratively rich experience.

The game combined hand-drawn animation with a deep turn-based battle system. Its story, filled with choices and consequences, reflected the harsh realities of survival in a mythic Viking-inspired world. The art style and somber soundtrack gave it a unique identity that stood out in the indie landscape.

Backers not only funded the project but helped spread its reputation, turning it into a trilogy that expanded its world and lore. Banner Saga proved that Kickstarter could fund not just single games but entire franchises, driven by community passion. It remains one of the most acclaimed crowdfunded strategy RPGs, remembered for its artistry, challenge, and emotional storytelling.

Koji Igarashi, one of the key figures behind Castlevania, turned to Kickstarter to fund Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, a spiritual successor to the beloved Metroidvania series. The campaign drew enormous attention, raising millions and demonstrating the enduring love for the genre.

Bloodstained delivered on its promise, combining gothic aesthetics with exploration-driven gameplay. Players navigated sprawling castles, unlocking abilities that opened new paths and secrets. The game honored its Castlevania roots while introducing fresh mechanics and modern visuals.

Its campaign also highlighted the power of nostalgia in crowdfunding. Fans who grew up with Castlevania wanted a true successor, and Bloodstained delivered an experience that felt both familiar and new. Today it stands as one of the most successful Kickstarter-funded Metroidvania games, showing that spiritual successors can thrive when backed by passionate communities.

Brian Fargo and inXile Entertainment turned to Kickstarter in 2012 to fund Wasteland 2, a sequel to the 1988 classic that inspired Fallout. Fans rallied behind the campaign, eager to see the post-apocalyptic RPG reborn for modern audiences. The project became one of the most successful early examples of crowdfunding for video games.

Wasteland 2 delivered a deep, tactical RPG experience with branching storylines, turn-based combat, and a bleak but engaging setting. It captured the spirit of classic computer RPGs while introducing modern systems to enhance accessibility. Player choices had lasting consequences, reinforcing the sense of agency that defined the original.

The game’s success proved that there was still a strong appetite for old-school RPGs. It also helped revive interest in the Wasteland franchise, leading to further sequels. Wasteland 2 remains a landmark in crowdfunding history, representing how Kickstarter can breathe new life into long-dormant franchises and produce classic-inspired RPGs for modern players.

Heart Machine’s Hyper Light Drifter began as a Kickstarter project in 2013, capturing attention with its stunning pixel art and hauntingly atmospheric trailer. The campaign raised far more than its original goal, allowing the developers to expand their vision into one of the most acclaimed indie action RPGs of its era.

The game blends fast-paced combat with exploration, drawing inspiration from titles like The Legend of Zelda and Diablo. Its lack of traditional dialogue and reliance on visual storytelling gave it a mysterious, dreamlike quality. The pixel art style, vibrant and detailed, set a new standard for indie aesthetics, while its soundtrack by Disasterpeace added emotional weight.

Hyper Light Drifter became a cultural icon in the indie scene, praised for its difficulty, artistry, and storytelling through environment. Its success showed how Kickstarter could empower deeply personal projects to reach global audiences. It remains one of the best Kickstarter-funded action RPGs, remembered for both its artistry and its challenging gameplay.

FTL: Faster Than Light, developed by Subset Games, is another example of a small Kickstarter campaign producing outsized influence. With simple goals and a modest budget, the developers delivered a roguelike space simulation that became a beloved classic.

The game challenges players to manage a spaceship, balancing crew assignments, resource allocation, and combat tactics. Its permadeath system and randomized encounters created endless replayability, ensuring that no two runs felt the same. The tension of making life-or-death decisions mid-battle gave the game an intensity rarely seen in indie projects at the time.

FTL’s Kickstarter backers fueled a project that might never have existed otherwise. The game became a critical and commercial hit, influencing countless roguelike and management games that followed. Today, it is remembered as one of the most important Kickstarter-funded indie games, proof that small ideas with strong execution can resonate worldwide.

Double Fine Productions made history in 2012 when it launched the Kickstarter for Broken Age, then known as Double Fine Adventure. The campaign shattered funding records, raising over $3 million and sparking the modern wave of video game crowdfunding.

Broken Age delivered a heartfelt point-and-click adventure, blending humor with emotional storytelling. Its hand-painted art style, voice acting from industry legends, and imaginative puzzles revitalized the adventure game genre. Though development faced delays and challenges, the transparency with which Double Fine communicated became a model for future campaigns.

The game’s release proved that crowdfunding could bring back genres abandoned by publishers. Broken Age may not have achieved universal acclaim, but its cultural significance is undeniable. It demonstrated the viability of Kickstarter as a platform and set the stage for countless other developers. As one of the first major Kickstarter video game successes, it occupies a special place in crowdfunding history.

Few games illustrate the cultural power of crowdfunding like Undertale. Created by Toby Fox, it was funded through Kickstarter in 2013 with modest goals but quickly grew into a global phenomenon. What began as a quirky indie RPG became one of the most talked-about games of the decade.

Undertale’s unique combat system allowed players to choose between fighting and mercy, challenging conventions of morality in video games. Its charming characters, witty writing, and subversive humor gave it a distinct identity. Multiple endings encouraged replayability, and the soundtrack, composed by Fox himself, became iconic in its own right.

The Kickstarter community helped spread early buzz, but it was Undertale’s originality that propelled it into cultural stardom. Its fanbase created art, music covers, and theories that expanded the game’s cultural footprint well beyond gaming. Today, it is regarded as one of the most influential indie games ever funded on Kickstarter, demonstrating how small campaigns can birth legendary titles.

When Obsidian Entertainment launched a Kickstarter campaign for Pillars of Eternity in 2012, it tapped into nostalgia for classic isometric RPGs like Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale. The campaign shattered records, raising millions and demonstrating that fans were hungry for a return to this style of storytelling and gameplay.

Pillars of Eternity delivered richly detailed environments, strategic real-time-with-pause combat, and deep lore that rivaled the classics it drew inspiration from. The game’s setting of Eora introduced complex themes of religion, mortality, and politics, creating a world that felt both new and familiar. For many, it was a spiritual continuation of beloved RPG traditions.

Its success revitalized not only Obsidian but also the isometric RPG genre as a whole. Expansions and sequels followed, ensuring the franchise’s place in modern gaming. Pillars of Eternity remains a shining example of how Kickstarter can bring back genres that mainstream publishers considered outdated. It stands as one of the most important crowdfunded RPGs, proving that fan passion can keep storytelling traditions alive.

Divinity: Original Sin, from Larian Studios, stands as a benchmark for crowdfunded RPGs. In 2013, the Belgian studio turned to Kickstarter to fund a project that would revitalize its cult-favorite franchise. The campaign was a massive success, allowing the team to deliver a game that redefined what turn-based RPGs could achieve.

The title impressed with its deep tactical combat, cooperative multiplayer, and emphasis on player freedom. Every choice felt impactful, from dialogue options to how players approached combat encounters. The environmental interaction system, where elements like fire, water, and electricity could be combined creatively, gave combat a dynamic edge rarely seen in RPGs at the time.

The community that backed the game became an integral part of development, providing feedback and shaping its systems. Its success not only revitalized Larian Studios but laid the foundation for the critically acclaimed sequel, Divinity: Original Sin II. Widely regarded as one of the most successful RPGs launched from Kickstarter, the game proved that crowdfunding could fuel ambitious, complex projects on par with AAA studios.

One of the most iconic Kickstarter success stories is Shovel Knight, developed by Yacht Club Games. Inspired by 8-bit platformers of the NES era, it combined nostalgia with fresh mechanics that resonated with both older gamers and newcomers. Its Kickstarter campaign in 2013 exceeded expectations, showing the appetite for retro-inspired yet innovative experiences.

Shovel Knight impressed with tight controls, vibrant pixel art, and a soundtrack that evoked gaming’s golden age. The character design, quirky yet heroic, became an instant indie mascot. What elevated the game further was its long-term support. Stretch goals from the campaign delivered free expansions like Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, and King of Cards, giving backers and new players enormous value.

Beyond its gameplay, Shovel Knight became a symbol of indie resilience. Yacht Club Games built not just a title but a brand, with cameos across other franchises and merchandise reinforcing its cultural footprint. Today, it is celebrated as one of the best indie games born from Kickstarter, showing how fan investment can revive retro spirit with modern polish.