The action platformer ‘INARI’ from domestic indie game developer 1HP STUDIO is achieving remarkable results on the global crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, demonstrating the power of K-indie games to users around the world.
Successful funding of over $60,000 demonstrates the fervent interest of global gamers.
Inari’s Kickstarter campaign, which began on January 13th , achieved its $10,000 goal in just 17 minutes . The development team stated, “Witnessing the community’s incredible response was an overwhelming experience for the entire development team.”
The campaign is currently gaining momentum. As of the morning of January 19th (Korean time) , 1,342 backers have participated, raising approximately $63,627 (an average of $47.4 per backer) , exceeding 600% of the initial goal . The campaign runs until February 12th.
Overwhelming initial response, raising an average of over $10,000 per day.
The campaign’s daily average fundraising reached $12,109 , significantly exceeding the average success rate of 35.83% for game projects on Kickstarter. The campaign reportedly achieved rapid growth, surpassing $30,000 in its early days.
The development team expressed their gratitude to backers for reaching 1,000, and they are actively communicating with them, including adding additional countries to the shipping list in response to requests for expanded international shipping.
Content is expected to become even richer with the achievement of the stretch goal.
Having surpassed their funding goal, the development team announced a number of stretch goals, including additional language localization, hidden stages, new bosses, new areas, multiple endings, an opening animation, a speedrun mode, and DLC expansions. Thanks to the continued support of backers, the possibility of these additional content being realized is increasing.
What is the indie game ‘Inari’, where oriental fantasy meets high-speed action?
Inari is a game set in an Eastern fantasy world where players assume the role of Izna the Reaper, an executioner who tracks down the Seven Daughters, seven princesses who rebelled against a powerful monarch. Set in a clash between the sacred authority of the High Realm and the technologically advanced Mortal Realms, players are tasked with eliminating the seven princesses and retrieving their souls.
The game’s core mechanic is the shuriken-based teleportation. Players can use the ability to instantly teleport to the location of a thrown shuriken to quickly maneuver through enemy lines, while the katana allows for a double-crossing attack. The development team revealed that it drew inspiration from titles such as “Katana ZERO,” “Nine Sols,” “Celeste,” and “Ghostrunner.”
Steam demo released, Kickstarter campaign runs until February 12th
A free demo version is currently available on Steam, and the Kickstarter campaign runs until February 12th . The development team continues to communicate with backers through the official Discord server, sharing behind-the-scenes insights into the game’s development.
While the official release date for “Inari” has not yet been set, development is currently targeting the PC (Steam) platform. Official language support, including Korean, has been confirmed, ensuring that both domestic and international gamers can enjoy the game without any difficulty.
The gaming industry is focusing its attention on the future course of ‘Inari’, which is showing new possibilities for domestic indie games.
What about the indie development team **1HP STUDIO** that developed ‘Inari’?
This indie game development team, formed by former college classmates who went their separate ways after graduation, reunited to complete a project they had been working on together. The studio, comprised of six college alumni, is currently developing the stylish action platformer “INARI.” Their team name, 1HP, signifies that “gaming is most thrilling when you have only one stamina,” and their development philosophy is to pursue extreme fun.
| division | Main contents |
| Studio name | 1HP STUDIO |
| Representative and Director | Lee Jung-hoon (JUNG HOON LEE) |
| Year of establishment | January 2025 |
| scale | 6 people (as of 2025) |
| Key milestones | • 2025: Busan Indie Connect Festival (BIC) Exhibition • 2025: Winner of the Grand Prize in the General Production Category of the Global Indie Game Development Competition (GIGDC) |
| Kickstarter funding page | [INARI] KICKSTARTER |
| Official Trailer | [INARI] Official Gameplay Trailer |
| Steam Store Page | [INARI] – Steam Store |
