By Dexerto | Created at 2026-09-30 20:23:16 | Updated at 2026-10-01 00:23:25
7 hours ago
SNAPTIC, a bizarre physics-based puzzle-platformer with a visual style that recalls AOL Instant Messenger’s iconic mascot, smashed its $60,000 Kickstarter goal just six hours after launching.
The campaign went live on September 29, with developer snaptic sharing a trailer and directing fans to the crowdfunding page.
The project had already passed its target by the time most people had finished watching the trailer. Six hours after launch, snaptic revealed that SNAPTIC had raised $60,936 from 1,342 backers and was moving on to its stretch goals.
At the time of writing, the campaign had raised more than $94,000 from over 2,068 backers, with 29 days still remaining.
SNAPTIC looks like lost internet history come to life
SNAPTIC is described as a physics-based puzzle-platformer set inside an offline laptop. Players control Anon, a featureless humanoid character who can manipulate magnetic objects and transform into a marble to navigate the game’s surreal environments.
The story follows Anon as he explores old cache files, chat logs, and camcorder footage while trying to uncover what caused the shutdown of the only home he has ever known. If the mystery is not solved, Anon’s friends could be lost forever as the files around them are destroyed.
The game’s minimalist character design immediately sparked comparisons to the classic yellow “Running Man” associated with AOL Instant Messenger. SNAPTIC is not an official AOL project, but its old-internet visuals, computer-themed world, and nostalgic focus have made the comparison difficult for fans to ignore.
SNAPTIC’s campaign is now focused on stretch goals, with the developer suggesting that additional funding could expand the game beyond its initial scope. The project is currently planned for PC, while its Steam release date remains listed as “to be announced.”
For anyone who spent their childhood waiting for the familiar AIM sign-on sound, SNAPTIC looks like a strange new way to revisit the internet that came before social media.
Kickstarter has recently become a major launchpad for games built around recognizable fan communities. The Cyberpunk 2077 trading card game raised $6 million in just a few hours after clearing its $100,000 goal in under five minutes.
Elsewhere, the Neopets tabletop roleplaying game was funded within six hours before later facing controversy over an unapproved playtest document. The Pokémon-inspired Elestrals Awakened also raised more than $1.3 million during its campaign.
