UK Crowdfunding
2021
- Globally, $23,323,927 was raised across 408 successful video game campaigns, representing a better performance in terms of both money raised and projects funded than the previous four years. Six projects raised more than $500k in 2020, with those games raising more funds in 2020 than $500k+ projects raised in any single year 0f 2016-2019. (ICO Partners, Jan 2021)
- Three successful UK video game projects raised over £100k on Kickstarter in 2020. They were:
- The Last Faith by Kumi Souls Games (£210,075)
- Billie Bust Up by Blueprint Games (£146,270)
- Deathground by Jaw Drop Games (£118,097)
2020
UK Video Games Projects Kickstarter Revenue. (ICO Partners, Mar 2020)
- UK games projects on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter raised £3.16m in pledges in 2019, a 105% increase on 2018 revenues (£1.54m), reversing the steady decline of the previous four years. Of those projects, £2.9m (91%) was pledged to successful projects. (ICO Partners, Mar 2020)
- 159 UK video game projects received at least one pledge, an 8.5% decline on the previous year and a continuation of the trend since the peak of 379 projects in 2014.
- Of those 159 game projects, 42 campaigns (29%) reached their funding target.
- Of the 42 funded projects, 24 met funding targets of less than $10k and a further 12 met targets of between $10k and $50k. 5 funded projects acheived minimum targets of between $50k and $100k and one project was successfully funded to more than $500k. Please note that this final project is an adult game not elsewhere classified as a part of the UK games industry by Ukie. As such, it is absent from the table below and from Ukie's other industry analyses. (ICO Partners, Mar 2020)
2017
- Globally, $20m was pledged across 330 crowdfunded video games in 2016. (GI.biz & ICO Partners, December 2016)
2016
- Looking at UK Kickstarter video games projects, between Sep 2011 and Jan 2015, 119 (18% of total) projects were successful in reaching funding target, raising £5.5m in total. (Nesta Feb 2015)
- 5 projects represent 60% of the total funds raised. They were (Nesta, Feb 2015):
- Elite: Dangerous, 2013 (£1.6m)
- Godus, 2012 (£527k)
- Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse, 2012 (£479k)
- Carmageddon: Reincarnation, 2012 (£402k)
- War for the Overworld, 2013 (£211k)
- The top 25% of projects raised 91% of the funds, similar to other creative markets usually dominated by a few blockbusters followed by projects with smaller budgets. (Nesta, Feb 2015)
Most Funded UK Video Games on Kickstarter
| Project | Developer | Date Funded | Total Funds Raised / £ | Number of Backers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yooka-Laylee | Playtonic | 17 Jun 2015 | 2,090,104 | 73,206 |
| Elite: Dangerous | Frontier Developments | 05 Jan 2013 | 1,578,316 | 25,681 |
| Godus | 22cans | 21 Dec 2012 | 526,563 | 17,184 |
| Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse | Revolution Software | 22 Sep 2012 | 474,818 | 14,032 |
| Carmageddon: Reincarnation | Stainless Games | 07 Jun 2012 | 404,739 | 15,736 |
| Sunless Skies | Failbetter Games | 03 Mar 2017 | 377,952 | 11,739 |
| Battalion 1944 | Bulkhead Interactive | 03 Mar 2016 | 317,281 | 10,096 |
| War for the Overworld | Brightrock Games | 03 Jan 2013 | 211,371 | 8,351 |
| The Last Faith | Kumi Souls Games | 19 Jun 2020 | 210,075 | 4,053 |
| Xenonauts 2 | Goldhawk Interactive | 20 Jul 2018 | 191,107 | 6,827 |
| Lightseekers | PlayFusion | 04 Nov 2016 | 183,850 | 1,635 |
| Sui Generis | Bare Mettle Entertainment | 30 Nov 2012 | 160,055 | 6,931 |
| Billie Bust Up | Blueprint Games | 05 Dec 2020 | 146,270 | 2,531 |
| Maia | Machine Studios | 28 Nov 2012 | 140,481 | 8,115 |
| Knights and Bikes | Foam Sword | 03 Mar 2016 | 126,447 | 4,796 |
| Deathground | Jaw Drop Games | 15 Aug 2020 | 118,097 | 3,650 |
| Strike Suit Zero | Born Ready Games | 17 Nov 2012 | 110,170 | 4,484 |
| Survive the Nights | A2Z Interactive | 10 Aug 2014 | 108,398 | 6,262 |
| Witchmarsh | Inglenook Games | 15 Jun 2014 | 102,430 | 5,420 |
| Sunless Sea | Failbetter Games | 03 Oct 2013 | 100,803 | 4,271 |
Figures in italics have been converted from US dollars
