This is the inherent problem with this kind of art. If you make something that catches on it will bring financial supporters (good). However, it then comes down to the personality of the dev. If they're truly in it for the creation of it, the money won't change them. In fact, they'll wisely use the money to help get projects updated and finished fasternin order to begin new ones.
If the dev is lazy, in it for the money alone or afraid they cannot make another successful VN they just milk it. They sit on it as long as they can. When support really starts to fade or the subs get restless beyond control they'll drop an update. Something, anything. This shuts them up for a bit, the money keeps coming and it's basically free money. Depending on where they live, bringing in $2,500 USD a month like this guy can be luxury living or it can be just enough to live on without actually having to work a job (still a win for many).
That's the problem - people being paid before a work is finished. It would almost be better to have a system where financial support is kept in an escrow and then upon completion the funds are released. Something...but that won't happen so this will keep happening.
Again, some devs do it right and it can take a lot of time. Yet, those good ones drop two updates a year that are massive and high quality. You can tell they give a shit.
Others are purely in it for retirement, lol. Guys like L&P that have a finish date literally 15 years down the road and shit as as they take in tens of thousands a month. They struck gold. They can work as slow as they like, release as little as they like and people still send the money.
I swear it's like a test of one's soul, lol. It's a basic corruption test:
"Here is $20K a month. It won't go away as long as you claim you're working. Do you actually try to make art or do you just want to soak up as much money as you can?"
Sadly, most fail that test. Most will choose to milk.
