Creator Spotlight: How Paws and Leaves Turned a Failed Campaign into 200% Funding
The first launch fell short, but the story didn’t end there. With clearer roles, earlier community engagement, and a focused relaunch strategy, Paws and Leaves came back to nearly double its goal.
A failed Kickstarter isn’t the end. For some creators, it’s the beginning of a stronger comeback. Paws and Leaves turned their earlier setback into a powerful relaunch, reaching nearly 200% of their goal.
Many first-time Kickstarter campaigns struggle not because the game isn’t strong, but because community preparation and marketing often take a backseat to development. When grownarts decided to relaunch in early 2025, they did so with additional guidance and support from KickForge, a full-service crowdfunding agency helping creators plan, launch, and scale successful campaigns. With the right guidance, a second campaign can build on the lessons from the first and deliver a much stronger launch.
Joining the Campaign
Back in November 2024, KickForge connected with the grownarts team just five days before the launch of the first Paws and Leaves Kickstarter campaign. There wasn’t much time to make impactful changes, but advice and resources were shared to give the campaign its best chance. It quickly became clear that the campaign wasn’t fully equipped for what was ahead.
During that first attempt, grownarts had to juggle too many responsibilities. Every decision felt critical, but the team’s focus remained on developing the game. Without a dedicated marketing lead to guide social media, press outreach, or community engagement, those efforts competed with development priorities. While the campaign struggled to gain traction, there was still a foundation to build on.
Fast forward to early 2025, when grownarts decided to try Kickstarter again. This time, the approach was different. KickForge worked closely with the team to optimize their community, reconnect with previous backers, and support social media and content creation, ensuring consistent, engaging posts leading up to launch, a common struggle for many indie developers. The initial goal was 600 backers, and the campaign started strong with 630.
Eric Steuer
Behind the scenes, this included daily content planning, engaging with the community on Discord, and connecting with streamers to showcase the game. These actions helped set the stage for the campaign’s momentum and laid the groundwork for the results that followed.
What made the difference this time wasn’t just the strategy itself, but having the right support and preparation in place. By prioritizing marketing and community engagement alongside development, grownarts was able to focus on building the game while the campaign was set up for success.
Process & Challenges
Building on the foundation established during relaunch preparations, the focus shifted to preparing the community ahead of launch. grownarts began asking high-value engagement questions on Discord, ensuring backers weren’t just following the project, but actively excited about the upcoming campaign.
Marketing remained the biggest challenge. Like many indie studios, grownarts didn’t have a dedicated marketing lead. While team members rotated through tasks, no one had the bandwidth or experience to consistently manage social media, press outreach, and community engagement alongside development.
To address this, KickForge supported social media oversight and content planning using assets provided by the team. This allowed the developers to concentrate on building the game while the community stayed engaged through consistent, emotionally resonant posts designed to encourage participation.
The strategy also focused on increasing visibility and interaction. Posts invited followers to comment on their favorite streamers or express interest in playing the game, increasing visibility and building a more active audience. This engagement made it easier to line up streamers ready to showcase the new Kickstarter demo at launch, contributing to early momentum.
With the community engaged, marketing efforts structured, and backers excited for the relaunch, the stage was set for a strong return to the platform.
Results & Impact
The success of a Kickstarter campaign isn’t measured only by total funds raised, but also by how efficiently those funds are generated. For Paws and Leaves, the relaunch raised €60,000 while spending just €600 in marketing and visibility efforts. It raised 153% more than the original campaign.
With careful budgeting and a focused strategy, grownarts achieved strong results without relying on heavy ad spend.
Because the community was already warmed up and engaged before launch, it was easier to activate backers around community goals and interactive events. That early preparation and consistent communication helped the campaign gain visibility, sustain momentum, and build excitement throughout the launch period.
Brandon Stosuy
Some highlights from the campaign include:
- Featured in Kickstarter’s New & Trending newsletter
- Showcased on the Kickstarter homepage
- Ranked among the top video games by popularity during the first week of launch
- Featured on the homepage of the PlayB3yond Indie Game Fest 2025 website
- Community goals and events that drove continued engagement
What Other Creators Can Learn
Launching with your community and having the right support in place matters more than sticking to a personal timeline. grownarts realized that delaying the original 2024 campaign could have allowed for stronger preparation and momentum rather than rushing to launch.
By prioritizing community engagement, marketing structure, and pre-launch preparation ahead of the 2025 relaunch, the team exceeded expectations, finishing just shy of 200% of its goal.
For other indie developers, the key lesson is simple: a successful Kickstarter isn’t just about the game. It’s about the audience you build, the marketing you prepare, and the momentum you create before you ever hit “launch.”
Top 5 Key Takeaways for Indie Developers:
- Engage your community early and consistently.
- Don’t rush—preparation matters more than the launch date.
- Coordinate with streamers for demo visibility day one.
- Learn from past attempts and iterate.
- Prioritize marketing as a core part of your workflow.
Lessons matter only if you put them into action. Prepare your community, plan your marketing, and watch your next Kickstarter reach new heights.
Kickstarter
Trent Chute from KickForge helps indie game developers reach their funding goals on Kickstarter. Combined with a mix of Kickstarter Consultation, Campaign Management, Community Building, and Marketing to create tailored strategies for personalized campaigns.
