Video game Kickstarters have raised almost $10m so far in 2018
Total money pledged reaches three-year high, but number of campaigns drops to six-year low and success rate remains steady
Fresh analysis from ICO Partners shows that video games projects on Kickstarter have secured close to $10 million in backing since the year began.
The consulting firm has published its latest half-year analysis of funding generated through the leading crowdfunding site, which shows the amount of money raised in the first half of 2018 is on par with that achieved during the same period last year - up by just $400,000 to $9.82 million.
While only a slight uplift over H1 2017, the firm reports this is the highest amount of money pledged during a first half since 2015. However, it also notes the number of campaigns launched since January 1st came in at just 723 - the lowest for a first half of the year since 2012.
In fact, this is 13 per cent down compared to the number of campaigns launched in H2 2017, which was only 5% down from the previous half. ICO Partners noted that this is likely caused by "creators with the inability to put together a good campaign moving away from crowdfunding as it is now understood how much work is required to manage a successful Kickstarter."
The number of projects reaching their funding goal has actually remained relatively flat; at 166 projects for H1 2018, compared to 168 for the previous half. This is also down on the 179 projects fully funded in the first half of 2017. The ratio of funded projects has seen a slight uptick following the decline in the number of campaigns, up to 23 per cent - the highest since the second half of 2013.
Looking at the amounts raised by each campaign, only three raised more than $500,000 - although this is the highest since the second half of 2016. Two of these raised more than $1 million each, accounting for more than a fifth of that $9.82 million total.
There were also more projects raising between $50,000 and $100,000 than there were in either half of 2017. However, the number of projects raising between $10,000 and $50,000 and those raising less than $10,000 were at their lowest point since 2013.