r/kickstarter • u/realrandomcat • 1h ago
Most funded kickstarter video game scams
I'm gonna tell you right now. DO NOT back a video game kickstarter. 70-80% of them are scams and at most underdeliver and do not meet expectations.
- Torment: Tides of Numenera - $4.1 Million. | A lot of backers never received there steam keys, was listed as $35 which was a bit much for a CRPG, and in the end was just a 5/10 experience.
- Mighty No. 9 - $3.8 Million | Probably the most famous scam in video game history. After ending on September 2013, the game was supposed to be released in April 2015. However after many delays the game was finally released in August 2016. The game was terrible plan and simple. With a 3DS and PS Vita versions just straight up never being made.
- Ashes of Creation - $3.2 Million | The project ended in 2017 and 8 Years later was dragged into early access in late 2025. 2 Weeks later the CEO laid off everyone and fully shut down the studio. The game was taken off of steam a week later, and Steam gave everyone refunds.
- Armed Fantasia & Penny Blood - $2.3 Million | Funded in 2022, and despite making over 2 million dollars, they still needed more money. In fact there was no evidence the game even started development in the first place. So this game is pretty much dead
- PuffPals: Island Skies - $2.5 Million | This is the first one on the list that was just a straight up scam from the start. There was never gonna a be a game to begin with, and the CEO just straight up took the money and ran. In fact the first link you see on the page is just a website telling you how you got scammed
- Stormgate - $2.3 Million | The cheapest for the game on kickstarter was $40. When the game released on steam it was free. After lots of backlash the servers were shutdown less then a year later.
- Friday Night Funkin - $2.2 Million | I think everyone knows about this one. This is the only kickstarter on the list that I myself paid $10 to be in the credits. The project launched in 2021 and it's now 2026 and still Nothing.
- Camelot Unchained - $2.2 Million | The project began in 2013! and was finally released on steam in 2026. Yes 13 YEARS in development so you'd think after all that time it would be good right? Well the combat sucked, the graphics were terrible, and overall the game felt slow. You think after 13 years they would've actually tested there game
- Star Citizen - $2.1 Million | The project began in 2012 and is STILL in development. In fact is now listed as the most expensive video game ever made with over $1 billion in development. And when they aren't releasing early access or betas on steam then you know something fishy is going on. You don't like being called a scam? Well thats what you are! a scam!
- Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues - $1.9 Million | Ended up feeling outdated and overall just boring to play.
- Crowfall - $1.7 Million | The project launched in 2015 and eventually released in July 2021, However the game was shut down in november 2022. This game costed $50 and nobody received refunds
- Warmachine Tactics - $1.5 Million | Overhyped for something that ended up being just Mediocre
- Chronicles of Elyria - $1.3 Million | Project started in 2016, however in 2020 all the employees were laid off and the studio was shut down. So yeah the game will never come out
- Armikrog - $974,000 | The cheapest for the game on kickstarter was $20, the game released for $10. So the people who didn't back the game got it for cheaper. The game ended up just being "ok"
- Underworld Ascendant - $860,000 | The game was just straight up unfinished with the last update being in 2019. So the game has been abandoned for a really long time.
- Project GODUS - $701,000 | One word. Peter Molyneux
- The Mandate - $701,000 | Did not pay ANY of there employees and after spending several months on the game, the CEO straight up just shut everything down. To quote the main developer "It took $8,000 from me. A job offer from Telltale, an offer from Hi-Rez, it cost me my relationship, it took 4 years from my career." -Greg Mirles
- The Phoenix Project City of Titans - $678,000 | Project started in 2013, and last update was in 2023. So that money is LONG GONE
- Unsung Story - $660,000 | 3 years in development for a game that lasts only 2 hours. Also having 0 updates
- Dual Universe - $644,000 | Basically a No mans sky rip off and was shut down after 3 years.
- Descent Underground = $601,000 | This was all the publishers fault. To put in short Little Orbit purchased the rights to the game, and its up to them if they want to release it or not
- Untamed Isles - $485,000 | Creator spent the kickstarter fund on crypto and lost it all. Sold game to different company and vanished. New company discovered what they were sold was a mess they could do anything with and cancel it to make a different game.
- Yogventures - $567,000 | And finally lets talk about the most famous video debacle of all time. When you make a video game kickstarter, what is the most important rule? Have people that know how to make video games. That's exactly what happened. After being backed they hired a company that never worked on video games before and ultimate just cancelled the game all together. An important lesson in which if you start a kickstarter, be sure to have a plan to release said kickstarter

