10 Cozy Games Funded By Kickstarter Campaigns

Kickstarter has gotten many games off the ground, and the cozy game genre is one of the biggest beneficiaries. Thanks to their simple nature, cozy games are the perfect genre for Kickstarters as they don't require the massive budgets of AAA games or other mainstream genres. They also emphasize community, which lends itself to crowdfunding.

Backing a Kickstarter can be risky, as the game may not be made at all, but many of the most popular cozy games have only seen the light of day because of them. Cozy games are most often created by indie studios, and supporting these developers to get diverse and creative games out there only uplifts the industry as a whole. Here are some of them.

10 Loftia

16,740 Kickstarter Backers

Loftia has a tentative release date of 2026, but its closed beta is full of promise. It's a multiplayer game set in a solar punk world on various floating islands. I'm a big fan of solar punk, a genre that emphasizes eco-friendly technology, like a parallel to cyberpunk or steampunk.

The solarpunk genre is a natural marriage with cozy games, and this one looks great. The character customization options are extensive, and the gameplay, as you traverse floating islands, adds a fresh spin to the genre. Like Palia, Loftia is an MMO, and the appeal of playing in this world with your friends is likely to be essential for its success.

9 Tales of Seikyu

6,497 Kickstarter Backers

Yokai are a staple of Japanese games, but seeing them in a cozy game is fairly uncommon. Tales of Seikyu takes you to a world inspired by the Japanese countryside, where yokai live side-by-side with its human inhabitants. You get your own farmhouse and land to cultivate and customize.

Magic plays a big part in Tales of Seikyu, and is closely connected to its main plot. Your character is a shapeshifter, which completely transforms gameplay. I found the setting of this game to be refreshing in the cozy game space, and the Japanese architecture and decorating customization options were fun to use.

8 Outbound

5,306 Kickstarter Backers

Ever wanted to give it all up and hit the road? Outbound takes that concept and runs with it. You get a van and get to travel to different places, all while doing the usual cozy gaming stuff like decorating, customization, and cooking. Exploration is the focus of the game, and your camper van plays a big role.

Another nice thing about it is how sustainability is at the forefront of Outbound. The vehicle is electric and can be powered by solar, water, or wind. You can grow your own crops and create your systems to support your travel and living area in the van.

7 Hotel Galactic

3,371 Kickstarter Backers

Hotel Galactic is for everyone, but especially those who love the movies from Studio Ghibli, Spirited Away in particular. It has taken clear inspiration from it in terms of its concept and art style. You run a bathhouse for aliens, all in the same style as Spirited Away.

Hotel Galactic had a rough launch with some major bugs. The good news is that it's been updated with several fixes, and its current version is a much better experience. If you got it at launch and ran into any game-breaking bugs, I recommend giving it another try, as it's a beautiful game that carries its inspiration in every feature.

6 Chef RPG

3,146 Kickstarter Backers

Chef RPG is a charming, cozy game that I find hopelessly addictive as someone who loves cooking and RPGs. I personally feel that cozy games are at their best when your actions have an impact on the community, and Chef RPG is one of the best examples.

Chef RPG has four seasons, all with different foraging options and ingredients available. You have full control over the customization of your restaurant, including its menu. Doing chores becomes a relaxing routine in cozy games, and the gameplay loop of finding ingredients and having them become the basis of the dishes on the menu makes this game a winner.

5 Roots of Pacha

7,015 Kickstarter Backers

Roots of Pacha has a special place in my heart as a cozy game set in the Stone Age. Its approach to its setting is earnest and genuine, rather than falling into the trap of depicting its Stone Age characters as stupid or unable to function.

The premise of Roots of Pacha is the establishment of a settlement for your clan. You start from scratch and build it from the ground up, including faring, building homes for your community, and befriending prehistoric animals like mammoths. I truly felt as if I was a part of something bigger than myself, all alongside the usual cozy game features that make this genre addictive.

4 Sun Haven

1,477 Kickstarter Backers

Sun Haven is what happens when you combine an RPG, cozy game, and farm sim. It gets compared to Stardew Valley a lot as it's visually and mechanically similar, but its fantasy setting, storyline, and magic are a major draw for Sun Haven's fans and set it apart.

Sun Haven leans more heavily into its skill trees and story than most other cozy games. I like a bit of intrigue in my games, and so Sun Haven's worldbuilding and RPG mechanics have made it a favorite of mine, and I feel like my character is truly unique compared to some other games where same-face syndrome can take over.

3 Starsand Island

5,306 Kickstarter Backers

Starsand Island has gotten a warm welcome from the cozy game community. Its slice-of-life anime vibes, island charm, cute character creator, and likable characters have made it one of my favorite recent cozy game releases. The idea of a return to your childhood home makes it both new and nostalgic at the same time, and I enjoyed reconnecting with old acquaintances I had just met for the first time.

Starsand Island thrives at being one of those quiet games that let you relax and reset. Its systems have been streamlined to be as hassle-free as possible, the NPC relationships are easy to explore, and getting around the island on a skateboard is a clever and charming way to increase movement speed.

2 My Time at Portia

3,708 Kickstarter Backers

The My Time at ... franchise has been a massive hit, with My Time at Sandrock being the most recent success. My Time at Portia was the first of the bunch, and originated as a Kickstarter. Since My Time at Portia's success, each of the games that follow it in the series has been funded at least partially through Kickstarter.

All the games take place in a post-apocalyptic setting, but in different settlements, giving a strong theme for each game in the series. Pathea Games has consistently delivered what it promised in its Kickstarter campaigns and is probably one of the best examples of a developer using the platform to crowdfund.

1 Coral Island

36,374 Kickstarter Backers

Coral Island is one of those success stories that becomes a tale retold in the community. It met its Kickstarter funding goal in less than 36 hours, a phenomenal achievement. By all means, both the community and the developers exceeded their expectations of each other by meeting the funding goal so quickly and by delivering such a good game.

Coral Island has been hailed as one of the best cozy and farming sim games in recent years. It's warm, there's a ton of customization options, and the art style is gorgeous. Building a life on an island paradise is one of the joys of Coral Island, and its beautiful graphics and gameplay loop have kept me glued to the screen for dozens of hours.