Circumvention of Patreon rules

mocHAREMix

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May 24, 2023
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I've been thinking about the upcoming release of my own game, so I've been thinking in my head about things related to this damn Patreon.
  • The only place where patreon gets material and interacts is slushe. There you could put material from the game that doesn't break the rules of the shitty patreon. But from everywhere else you can get supporters to support game development on patreon, but patreon doesn't need to know that.
  • The links to the game will be on F95, SS and the game's own website or similar and no link to the game will be on the patreon website where it can accidentally shit bricks.

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anne O'nymous

I'm not grumpy, I'm just coded that way.
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I've been thinking about the upcoming release of my own game, so I've been thinking in my head about things related to this damn Patreon.
Stop thinking and starts reading more attentively their Terms of Service.


You can not use Patreon to fund a game having content they banned, period.

They don't care if you don't put images on your Patreon account.
They don't care if you don't directly put links to your game on your Patreon account.
As long as your game is linked, in a way or another (even just with "I'm XYZ on Patreon"), to your Patreon account, you break their rules.
 
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morphnet

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Aug 3, 2017
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That's exactly the point of breaking them, but how much does patreon hunt for links from somewhere other than their own website? Nothing on their site refers to the game. That's not where I put any link to the game. But I link my patreon account somewhere like F95. Patreon and slushe are only linked to one. And I'm not going to promote the game on that shitty site. I will not put anything on slushee other than individual images of the game and there will be nothing on there that violates the rules of the shitty patreon. Slushe is just a face for the game with no mention of the game. And I don't expect much support from slushe it's just for patreon. Everything else is completely off patreon, but the links are to patreon if anyone wants to support. So I'll make a so called empty patreon account that will get supporters from somewhere.
You really didn't put much thought into this and you're missing the point, it's still breaking the rules and patreon doesn't have to "hunt" for your game. All it takes is one person (subscriber or not) to feel like you've taken too long with an update, you've added a kink they don't like, you've ignored them in your discord, you didn't answer them fast enough here in the game thread etc. etc. etc. and they report your game.

Plus thanks to you making this thread, all they would have to do is send a screenshot of this along with their report to get your game banned as you are clearly setting out before hand to break the rules. If you are going to use banned content on patreon, just stick to subscribestar, no point in looking for trouble down the road if you don't have to.
 

Hagatagar

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Oct 11, 2019
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Just so you know, you're not the first one thinking about doing it like that, Patron is aware of this strategy.

This approach is quite similar to money laundering, which some people actually want to use Patreon for.
And unlike some stupid NSFW-is-bad rules, money laundering can put Patreon into real legal trouble, that is why they are extra cautious.
 
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anne O'nymous

I'm not grumpy, I'm just coded that way.
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Nothing on their site refers to the game.
Ok, I rephrase: Stop thinking and starts reading, period.


That's not where I put any link to the game.
Answered this in the post you're quoting:
"They don't care if you don't directly put links to your game on your Patreon account."


But I link my patreon account somewhere like F95.
Answered this in the post you're quoting:
"As long as your game is linked, in a way or another (even just with "I'm XYZ on Patreon"), to your Patreon account, you break their rules."


So I'll make a so called empty patreon account that will get supporters from somewhere.
Answered this in the post you're quoting:
"You can not use Patreon to fund a game having content they banned, period."


And in case you didn't understood the first time, when I say "you break their rules", it doesn't mean, "ah ah ah, I'm smarter than Patreon". No, those four words means, "oh shit ! I'm fucked !"

If Patreon discover that you broke their rules, and as Morphnet said it suffice that one person decide to report you, they'll suspend your account, and why not kick you out, with no easy possibilities to create another account.
Strictly speaking, since this thread prove that you plotted this beforehand, they could even sue you if they had time to waste. You wouldn't just have broke their rules by error or carelesssness, no, right from the starts you had no intention to respect your part of the, totally legal, formal and valid, contract you signed when starting your creator page using their service.

It's not because it's a website that there's no consequences if you don't follow the rules.
You are using the professional service of the Patreon company, and by checking the different "I've read this", "I'll do that" check boxes, you are passing a commercial contract with them, engaging your civil and legal liability. You are then bound by the terms of this contract, and any violation imply the immediate end of the contract, possible penalties, and possible legal actions.

The worse scenario for you would be that they kick you out, keep the money you haven't withdrawn yet, as penalties for your actions, and decide to sue you for the example. I guess that you would looks really less smarter than you think, if you had to face a two/three years long (possibly international) lawsuit. And even less when you would be sentenced to pay Patreon tenths, if not hundreds, thousands US dollars as consequence for your actions.

Of course, this is just the worse scenario. They'll more than surely limits to kick you out and do their best to prevent you to create a new account using their services. But this "worse" it's part of what lie behind "you break their rules".
 

Winterfire

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I can just imagine someone working at Patreon right now, reading this thread while sipping on a mug of coffee, suddenly pointing at his monitor while laughing out loud. Then, as suddenly he gets serious, and goes back to work (While still sipping on his coffee).
 

DrDerpington

Active Member
Oct 6, 2017
699
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I've been thinking about the upcoming release of my own game, so I've been thinking in my head about things related to this damn Patreon.
  • The only place where patreon gets material and interacts is slushe. There you could put material from the game that doesn't break the rules of the shitty patreon. But from everywhere else you can get supporters to support game development on patreon, but patreon doesn't need to know that.
  • The links to the game will be on F95, SS and the game's own website or similar and no link to the game will be on the patreon website where it can accidentally shit bricks.

You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.
Only way you can do it is having 2 versions of the game.

One "safe" version of the game done for Patreon.
And then having some 2nd "not safe" update uploaded on some 3rd party site (like F95). The uploader of the update has to be some "fan". It cant be linked to your Patreon account.

In this way everything is correct, because you cant be blamed for what "anon pirates" did with your game on some pirate site.

Or you can avoid Patreon and their nazi policies. Try making an account on SubscribeStar or BuyMeAcoffe or something.