If you spent any time wandering the PAX Aus Queue Hall late last year, you likely witnessed—or got swept up in—the frenzy surrounding a bunch of strangely adorable, highly colourful voxel cubes. That was the Australian and New Zealand soft launch of ÆRTHLINGS, the innovative “toys-to-life” digital gaming experience from Modern Games.

After capturing the hearts of thousands down under and subsequently blowing minds at PAX East in the US, the team has officially taken the next massive step. ÆRTHLINGS has launched on Kickstarter to bring its universe to a global audience and debut the brand-new “Ascension” Series—and to say the community was ready for it would be an absolute understatement.

Fully funded in 30 Minutes flat

The Kickstarter campaign went live on May 19 with a modest funding target of $10,000 USD (approx. $13,967 AUD). Within a staggering 30 minutes, the project was 100% fully funded.

As of writing, the campaign has rocketed past 520% funding, raking in well over $52,000 USD from an incredibly passionate group of early backers. The community’s unbridled enthusiasm has already smashed through early stretch goals, including the highly anticipated, community-inspired Banana Biome (and its accompanying first-of-its-kind Banana FIG).

What is ÆRTHLINGS?

For the uninitiated, ÆRTHLINGS bridges the gap between physical toy collecting and immersive mobile gaming. Think Pokémon meets Skylanders, reimagined for the modern era.

Instead of sitting on a shelf gathering dust, every physical figure (or “FIG”) features a unique, serialised NFC tag inside. With a quick scan using the free ÆRTHLINGS app on iOS or Android, the figure “hatches” into a playable in-game character with its own stats, specific attacks, upgrades, and personality.

When the planet ÆRTH was fractured in a collision with the moon, it shattered into tiny pieces called CHONKS. The game tasks players with rebuilding this world piece-by-piece, battling invading hordes of pesky MOONLINGS, and exploring beautiful biomes.

What makes the game truly revolutionary is its real-world “LINEAGES” system. If you trade a physical cube with a friend, they can scan it into their game too. Because the unique ID stays tied to the digital chain, both players unlock powers, beacon boosts, and unique game interactions, turning toy trading into a living social mechanic.

Introducing the Ascension Series & PC Development

While the original ÆRTHLINGS Genesis Collection kicked things off in ANZ, the Kickstarter campaign officially introduces the Ascension Series. This expansion injects 24 never-before-seen species into the mix, set within a dangerous new world of ice and fire ruled by the ancient Polara and Volcrys species. Players will also get to test their mettle in the all-new Spire of Ascension challenge mode.

Crucially, the cash raised from this Kickstarter campaign isn’t just about expanding the mobile app. Modern Games is using the funding to bring ÆRTHLINGS to PC, paving the way for a deeper world-building experience, fresh quests, bigger adventures, and expanded biomes.

Justin Kifer, CEO of Modern Games said that “ÆRTHLINGS was created to make collecting feel alive again. We’ve built an incredible community around ÆRTHLINGS already and this Kickstarter is about taking that world to the next level.”

How to get involved, back, and score exclusives

With the campaign running until June 12, there is still plenty of time to get in on the ground floor before ÆRTHLINGS takes over the globe.

Because it’s a Kickstarter, Modern Games is heavily rewarding its earliest supporters with some of the rarest collectibles they will ever release. Backers can gain access to six exclusive figures, including two brand-new shiny Legendary characters that will only ever be available via this campaign.

Tiers range from entry-level digital packages up to premium physical tiers. Tiers can include mystery box FIGs, limited-edition Seed Series items, cosmetics, digital add-ons, and physical merch. It is also the first time international fans can get their hands on the original Genesis Series boxes, or score one if you missed out during the launch.

If you want to help shape the future of this digital-physical hybrid universe, jump over to the ÆRTHLINGS Kickstarter Campaign Page to secure your tier. You can also download the free app right now on the App Store or Google Play to start playing with your complimentary Lenosaur, and join the community on Discord to chat.