How Elan Lee Made Millions with Exploding Kittens – Net Worth & Beyond

What happens when a former Xbox designer, a comic artist, and a love for chaos collide? You get the card game that broke Kickstarter.

The Rise of a Kickstarter Legend

In January 2015, Elan Lee, a former Xbox game designer, partnered with Matthew Inman, the mind behind the hit webcomic The Oatmeal, and game developer Shane Small to launch a wildly unconventional card game.

Their creation? Exploding Kittens a bizarre and hilarious mix of cats, explosions, goats, and laser beams.

The gameplay was simple but brilliant. Players took turns drawing cards, trying to avoid the dreaded Exploding Kitten unless they had a Defuse card ready to save themselves. It was a family-friendly twist on Russian roulette, filled with absurd humor and strategy.

What started as a modest Kickstarter campaign seeking just $10,000 quickly turned into a record-shattering event. Within 8 minutes, they hit their goal. Within 24 hours, they surpassed $1 million.

By the end, a staggering 219,382 backers pledged $8.78 million, making Exploding Kittens one of the most funded games in Kickstarter history.

“We wanted to make something that felt like opening a box of chaos and joy,” said Elan Lee.

Unlike many crowdfunded games that are still in development during their campaigns, Exploding Kittens was practically ready to ship. The team had already built, tested, and prototyped the game before ever asking for support, a key factor in its smooth launch.

Founder Profile:

Elan Lee is an award-winning American game designer and storyteller best known as the co-creator of Exploding Kittens. With a background in computer science from the Rochester Institute of Technology, Lee began his career at Industrial Light and Magic before moving to Microsoft Game Studios, where he helped shape the early Xbox experience.

A pioneer in alternate reality games (ARGs), he co-developed groundbreaking campaigns like I Love Bees for Halo 2 and The Beast for A.I. Artificial Intelligence.

In 2015, he teamed up with The Oatmeal creator Matthew Inman to launch Exploding Kittens, which became one of Kickstarter’s biggest successes. He later co-founded Exploding Kittens Inc., growing it into a global brand with multiple spin-off games, a mobile app, and a Netflix series.

As of 2025, Lee’s estimated net worth is between $15–20 million, reflecting his continued success in the gaming and entertainment industries.

Delays, Excuses, and Amazon Controversy

Despite the near-perfect campaign, a few bumps did appear along the way.

Backers expecting fast delivery were met with delays in mid-2015, mostly due to logistical issues and international shipping complications. Tensions rose when some customers noticed the game available on Amazon and in retail stores even though they hadn’t received their pledged copies yet.

Elan Lee and his team responded promptly, explaining that retail orders needed to be shipped early to meet contractual shelf dates. It was a business decision but not one that pleased the earliest supporters.

To their credit, the team maintained consistent communication and transparency throughout the ordeal, helping to ease most concerns. Compared to other high-profile Kickstarter failures, the delays were minimal and the damage contained.

Public Backlash and Financial Collapse?

Unlike the typical “Kickstarter crash” narrative, Exploding Kittens was the exception to the rule. There was no financial collapse quite the opposite.

After fulfilling its Kickstarter promises, Elan Lee and his team launched a full-blown company, created expansions like Imploding Kittens and Barking Kittens, and released entirely new games such as Throw Throw Burrito, Poetry for Neanderthals, and Happy Salmon.

As of 2025, Exploding Kittens has sold over 20 million copies worldwide and expanded into mobile gaming, apps, and even an animated Netflix series.

Despite minor bumps during fulfillment, the business became a model for crowdfunding success and Elan Lee emerged as a multi-millionaire game entrepreneur.

A Legacy of Warnings

The story of Exploding Kittens is one of exceptional success but it also offers timeless lessons for creators venturing into crowdfunding:

• Transparency is everything. Even minor setbacks can trigger backlash if not communicated well.
• Backer loyalty is delicate. Early supporters want to feel prioritized, especially before retail customers.
• Preparation pays off. The campaign succeeded partly because the team had nearly finished development before launch.

“We treated backers like investors. They weren’t just buyers. They were part of the story,” Elan said in a later interview.

By over-preparing instead of over-promising, Elan Lee and his team showed that Kickstarter can be more than a launchpad, it can be the foundation of an empire.

FAQ

Q: How much money did Exploding Kittens raise on Kickstarter?
A: $8.78 million from over 219,000 backers.

Q: Did the game face any major delays?
A: Some backers received their copies later than expected, especially after retail units appeared in stores.

Q: Was there any backlash?
A: Minor frustration occurred due to retail availability before all backers received the product, but it didn’t lead to long-term damage.

Q: What is Elan Lee’s net worth in 2025?
A: Estimated at $15–20 million, thanks to continued game success, licensing deals, and app revenue.

Q: Can Exploding Kittens still be purchased today?
A: Yes. It’s available globally in stores, on Amazon, and via mobile platforms.