About Patreon, Subscribestar and other payment platforms

[OldSailor]

Okay, here's the point. I'm an HTML game developer and I'm planning to release my game soon, but I have some concerns. My game contains extreme fetishes like rape, BDSM, etc. and I'm afraid that Patreon will close my account because of that. I guess some people use different methods to avoid getting caught by Patreon's hook.

I actually want to use all the platforms available to fundraise for my game, like Patreon, Subscribestar and Boosty, but the problem is that Subscribestar seems to have profile approval issues that take a very long time. I've heard of cases where it's been a year or two and that's not the only problem. And Patreon has the risk of closing your account suddenly and arbitrarily. Boosty and other lesser-known platforms tend not to be preferred by players. What in God's sake am I going to do?

 

[Cartman-Brah]

there are a lot of accounts that have a rape tag but their patreon page has been open for years. they get around the incest problem with funny names like landlady and roommate. everything has a solution. all you have to do is look for games that have the content you want and have a patreon page.

 

[Hagatagar]

My game contains extreme fetishes like rape

Big NOPE for Patreon.

I guess some people use different methods to avoid getting caught by Patreon's hook.

Sheer luck.

And Patreon has the risk of closing your account suddenly and arbitrarily.

Most times not arbitrarily, but a result of a report or a check and they found out the content is not allowed.

 

[OldSailor]

there are a lot of accounts that have a rape tag but their patreon page has been open for years. they get around the incest problem with funny names like landlady and roommate. everything has a solution. all you have to do is look for games that have the content you want and have a patreon page.

Really? It doesn't make sense that they take a strict stance on incest but let the rape content go free. Yes, I know there are games on Patreon with rape content that are still available and have a very high monthly income.

 

[Count Morado]

Okay, here's the point. I'm an HTML game developer and I'm planning to release my game soon, but I have some concerns. My game contains extreme fetishes like rape, BDSM, etc. and I'm afraid that Patreon will close my account because of that. I guess some people use different methods to avoid getting caught by Patreon's hook.

I actually want to use all the platforms available to fundraise for my game, like Patreon, Subscribestar and Boosty, but the problem is that Subscribestar seems to have profile approval issues that take a very long time. I've heard of cases where it's been a year or two and that's not the only problem. And Patreon has the risk of closing your account suddenly and arbitrarily. Boosty and other lesser-known platforms tend not to be preferred by players. What in God's sake am I going to do?

Nearly every site has similar rules to Patreon. Some just don't actively enforce them. Yes, even

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,

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, and

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. Even if you pass muster initially, your days are numbered on just about every funding platform from a spot check by a staff member or a report from a disgruntled former fan.

You have a few choices:

1. Remove the genre content that is against the TOS/Guidelines of the platform you choose to use. Since you are using HTML, I will assume you are using "real" porn images that you don't own. If so, also remove those - they break TOS/Guidelines, as well.
2. Find a completely different way than Patreon, Subscribestar, Itch.io, Boosty, PayPal, Stripe, etc to fund your $100 per month in subscriptions (2/3 of all Patreon adult game developers, even after 3 years of being on the platform bring in less than $100 per month - So, chances are, that's what you can expect for the hundreds and thousands of hours of work you'll put in on your game). Good luck with that.
3. Don't bother attempting to fund, at all. Simply make the game because you enjoy making it - boom, you can put any content into it you want (unless any copyright holders see you using any real porn images, if you use them, and they decide to slap a Cease and Desist on you).
4. Fuck around with Patreon, Subscribestar, Boosty, whatever... and find out. Find out like DC did in 2017 (that's why he changed his content at that time). Like Uberpie did in 2018 (changing content and title) and 2024 (losing their Patreon account). Lust&Passion in 2024 (losing their Patreon account). And others. It may not be day one, it may not be month one... it could be years down the line... and boom. Account canceled.

 

[asen-de]

Big NOPE for Patreon.

Yeah, more like a small nope, a very small nope because there are a ton of games with that tag on there

 

[OldSailor]

Remove the genre content that is against the TOS/Guidelines of the platform you choose to use. Since you are using HTML, I will assume you are using "real" porn images that you don't own. If so, also remove those - they break TOS/Guidelines, as well.

1. Find a completely different way than Patreon, Subscribestar, Itch.io, Boosty, PayPal, Stripe, etc to fund your $100 per month in subscriptions (2/3 of all Patreon adult game developers, even after 3 years of being on the platform bring in less than $100 per month - So, chances are, that's what you can expect for the hundreds and thousands of hours of work you'll put in on your game). Good luck with that.

You're closing all the open doors, man. What you say may be true, but if I'm going to revise my game in a way that practically no platform will object to, there will be no “game” left, because it's a fucking HTML game.

1. Don't bother attempting to fund, at all. Simply make the game because you enjoy making it - boom, you can put any content into it you want (unless any copyright holders see you using any real porn images, if you use them, and they decide to slap a Cease and Desist on you).

Yes, I enjoy making games, but that doesn't mean I'm going to spend hundreds of hours for nothing. What a pointless way of thinking... Listen bud, I really have some concerns that your intention in writing this comment is to be helpful. When I publish this game I don't expect to make hundreds of dollars in a month, I don't expect to make thousands of dollars in a year, and if you have any useful advice for me I'm happy to take it, but this kind of talk is pointless.

 

[Count Morado]

You're closing all the open doors, man. What you say may be true, but if I'm going to revise my game in a way that practically no platform will object to, there will be no “game” left, because it's a fucking HTML game.

Yes, I enjoy making games, but that doesn't mean I'm going to spend hundreds of hours for nothing. What a pointless way of thinking... Listen bud, I really have some concerns that your intention in writing this comment is to be helpful. When I publish this game I don't expect to make hundreds of dollars in a month, I don't expect to make thousands of dollars in a year, and if you have any useful advice for me I'm happy to take it, but this kind of talk is pointless.

I want developers to be happy and successful --- but that doesn't mean I live in a fantasy world.

I shared with you the options you currently have available. I did not tell you which one to choose. That is your decision. You reading anything into them that I am trying to sway you to any certain choice is yours.

What I am telling you is that you have limited choices in this current age. You can either change your content to abide by the rules of the platform you wish to use, you can search for a different way to fund, you can give it away for free and put just about any (legal in your jurisdiction) content you want, or your can "fuck around and find out" (maybe not today, but eventually) --- the choice is yours, but you need to be fully informed of what you are risking in order to make an educated decision.

 

[OldSailor]

I want developers to be happy and successful --- but that doesn't mean I live in a fantasy world.

I shared with you the options you currently have available. I did not tell you which one to choose. That is your decision. You reading anything into them that I am trying to sway you to any certain choice is yours.

What I am telling you is that you have limited choices in this current age. You can either change your content to abide by the rules of the platform you wish to use, you can search for a different way to fund, you can give it away for free and put just about any (legal in your jurisdiction) content you want, or your can "fuck around and find out" (maybe not today, but eventually) --- the choice is yours, but you need to be fully informed of what you are risking in order to make an educated decision.

I would rather be a big fish in the open sea than a small fish in an aquarium.

 

[Count Morado]

I would rather be a big fish in the open sea than a small fish in an aquarium.

It's "Would you rather be a big fish in a small pond or a small [little] fish in a big pond?" and doesn't really apply in the topic of the conversation.

You asked in a public forum:

What in God's sake am I going to do?

But didn't like my response. I get it.

Enjoy your day.

 

[Erosoft]

You won't get as much funding this way but you could pretty easily open a Bitcoin donation box.

 

[OldSailor]

It's "Would you rather be a big fish in a small pond or a small [little] fish in a big pond?" and doesn't really apply in the topic of the conversation.

You won't get as much funding this way but you could pretty easily open a Bitcoin donation box.

I've thought about it, but I think it would hinder potential donors too much. It's a safe method, but the demand is low.

 

[moskyx]

View attachment 3853450



I've thought about it, but I think it would hinder potential donors too much. It's a safe method, but the demand is low.

Subscribestar's approval process looks like a random hit or miss, some people claim to have experienced those abnormally long waiting periods while many others didn't have any issue. So I'd say try your luck there and see what happens.

That said, you may not like Count's replay but that's the most serious answer you'll get here. Check all those funding site's ToS and you'll find that basically the same rules apply everywhere. The only difference is how seriously each site enforces those rules, but even the currently more lenient services could change their approach tomorrow -and you'd be fucked. Accept those terms and break them with your game content, and you'll be automatically putting yourself on an offside position: it's only a matter of time until you get caught and deplatformed -or even worse, as you may also be breaking some actual law, and you wouldn't be the first prosecuted dev. Of course, you could just keep flying under the radar as others do, and chances are you will even drop your game (tired of working so much for such a little return) before getting caught. But getting caught is always an option. Your future as a 'game dev getting money from his work' will always be one click away of being unexistent: all it takes is some unhappy player you didn't treat as he thinks he deserves clicking the 'report' button. And woosh, the service you choose to get funds will find out you were doing something they don't allow, and you'll be kicked out.

So evaluate your risks and act accordingly, but at least be aware of what those risks are and don't feel stupidly reassured or validated by some randos who are not risking their money and freedom when they tell you what you were secretly wishing to read.

 

[OldSailor]

Subscribestar's approval process looks like a random hit or miss, some people claim to have experienced those abnormally long waiting periods while many others didn't have any issue. So I'd say try your luck there and see what happens.

That said, you may not like Count's replay but that's the most serious answer you'll get here. Check all those funding site's ToS and you'll find that basically the same rules apply everywhere. The only difference is how seriously each site enforces those rules, but even the currently more lenient services could change their approach tomorrow -and you'd be fucked. Accept those terms and break them with your game content, and you'll be automatically putting yourself on an offside position: it's only a matter of time until you get caught and deplatformed -or even worse, as you may also be breaking some actual law, and you wouldn't be the first prosecuted dev. Of course, you could just keep flying under the radar as others do, and chances are you will even drop your game (tired of working so much for such a little return) before getting caught. But getting caught is always an option. Your future as a 'game dev getting money from his work' will always be one click away of being unexistent: all it takes is some unhappy player you didn't treat as he thinks he deserves clicking the 'report' button. And woosh, the service you choose to get funds will find out you were doing something they don't allow, and you'll be kicked out.

So evaluate your risks and act accordingly, but at least be aware of what those risks are and don't feel stupidly reassured or validated by some randos who are not risking their money and freedom when they tell you what you were secretly wishing to read.

Thank you for your comment. But this is an HTML game, and you may have read the user's comment that even if I remove the extreme fetishes in the game, that in itself is a “violation of the rules to use real porn”. I don't know if that's really the case and I don't have the motivation to read pages and pages of policies right now. But I don't think it's as simple as “one click away from being unexistent”, because if you look at really big and old HTML games, most of them have patreon accounts dating back to 2018-2020, and I bet there have been dozens, not just one, of people complaining about their Patreon pages. And these people are making thousands of dollars a month.

 

[Living In A Lewd World]

You may ask Uberpie with once more than 5000 (partly even more than 6000) subscribers, who were from 2019 - 2024 on the platform but were deleted in march how fast it can go.

See:
https://f95zone.to/threads/taffy-tales-s5-v1-07-3c-uberpie.9861/

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and

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If you make content, that goes against their rules, you can be lucky for quite some time, and then comes the snap, that erades everything you built up on Patreon. From one moment to the other.

 

[Jaike]

Okay, here's the point. I'm an HTML game developer and I'm planning to release my game soon, but I have some concerns. My game contains extreme fetishes like rape, BDSM, etc. and I'm afraid that Patreon will close my account because of that. I guess some people use different methods to avoid getting caught by Patreon's hook.

I actually want to use all the platforms available to fundraise for my game, like Patreon, Subscribestar and Boosty, but the problem is that Subscribestar seems to have profile approval issues that take a very long time. I've heard of cases where it's been a year or two and that's not the only problem. And Patreon has the risk of closing your account suddenly and arbitrarily. Boosty and other lesser-known platforms tend not to be preferred by players. What in God's sake am I going to do?

Patreon doesn't allow rape, and other platforms have rules against it too. If you use real porn for images, Patreon doesn't allow that either but some devs still get away with it. They would close your account for that if they find out. You'll have to keep it out of the base game and "someone" has to release a "third party mod" for your game with the banned content if you go with Patreon. And you shouldn't refer to that "third party mod" as yours on other sites than Patreon either, they snoop around.

SubscribeStar supposedly responds quicker if you have a Patreon, linked social media accounts and send them a mail about speeding up your application.

 

[OldSailor]

Patreon doesn't allow rape, and other platforms have rules against it too. If you use real porn for images, Patreon doesn't allow that either but some devs still get away with it. They would close your account for that if they find out. You'll have to keep it out of the base game and "someone" has to release a "third party mod" for your game with the banned content if you go with Patreon. And you shouldn't refer to that "third party mod" as yours on other sites than Patreon either, they snoop around.

SubscribeStar supposedly responds quicker if you have a Patreon, linked social media accounts and send them a mail about speeding up your application.

Hot Diggity Dog

For real? This means that even if I remove banned content, I will be eliminated from real porn.

 

[Living In A Lewd World]

Hot Diggity Dog

For real? This means that even if I remove banned content, I will be eliminated from real porn.

This is the part of the community guidelines, that refers to real porn on Patreon. I know, that there are games on Patreon which contain real porn images, but noone can say how long they may be there:

 

[Jaike]

Hot Diggity Dog

For real? This means that even if I remove banned content, I will be eliminated from real porn.

In the base game, yes. Real porn is almost always stuff somebody else has rights to and devs violate those rights, so a platform doesn't want to host that. Nothing bans "a third party" to add real porn in a mod tho and "leak" it here. Or to leak an already "modded version" here.

 

[Erosoft]

If I ever develop a game capable of monetization I will probably write the users an in-game message similar to this:

If you'd like to help contribute to the project, there are three ways to donate:

1. The best way is to donate using Bitcoin to this address (address), and follow us on F95Zone. This helps us the most!

2. You can also subscribe to us on SubscribeStar, which is better than Patreon! (address)

3. We do also have a Patreon, but it may not exist or be updated in the future. It still works for now though! (address)

Thank you so much for your continued support!

This way you cover all your bases while making clear that Patreon is neither your first preference nor a "hub" for your game.