Patreon actually takes way more than the 5% they say. After transaction fees and currency conversion charges, an estimated 20% cut is far more reasonable. So take that off and you're at $2,880 pre-tax, or $34,560 annually. Self-employment taxes are about $4,900 annually for that in the US if you use a calculator and assume minimal business expenses (art assets, computer parts, and a few other things could arguably be included though), so his gross is maybe around $29,500 annually, or about $2,470 per month.
Do you have a source for the more than 5%? I would more say currency conversion is an acceptable fee, but it shouldn't be more than 2%-3% of what the take would be. I'm also not sure what you mean by "transaction fees" since the person being funded isn't paying for the service. Patreon exists as a crowdfunding platform and makes its money off that 5%-8%. You would only incur transaction fees from doing business outside of payment. I'm not even aware of any employer inside and outside the US or Canada who bills you for paying you, so I'm really confused what "transaction fees" you're talking about.
Threshold doesn't live in the US afaik, so self-employment taxes wouldn't apply. Or, they could, but it's more speculative on if where he lives does tax self-employment.
The median household income in the US in 2023 was $80,610, so what he's making really is not a lot, especially if he has other dependants. It's also extremely uncertain if AVN work could support anyone long-term, so a reasonable person likely should have alternate plans for the future. And if that future is to go back to a day job, a multi-year gap to make a porn game is going to be hard to explain in many positions.
The average median income per household, which assumes two working adults, given the average wage was about $59k. The discrepancy from $59k to $80k indicates a trend, that being one member of the household is earning significantly less yearly than the other. Threshold is realistically making $3,200 per month after taxes and such, meaning he makes about $38k per year. I would say that's sustainable. Also, it's not called "AVN work" in America or anywhere else. You have to be a kid, cause no adult uses "AVN." We call it "porn" or "adult work" or "adult content."
In terms of adult content supporting anyone long-term, have you heard of a thing called "porn?" Or, that thing called "OnlyFans?" Or camgirls? Or, doujins? Or, fucking DLSITE? Like, it's not even a matter of "it might not work out." If someone has enough appeal, it can sustain them fairly well. There wouldn't be an entire global industry if porn didn't make money for everyone involved. That's some retard thinking there, bud.
If I was making an AVN and pulling in $2,470 a month after everything, I personally would not be quitting my day job. I'd only do that if I already had ample retirement savings or the AVN was making so much that I'd likely be able to retire when I finished, if needed.
$2,470 is livable depending on where you live. In Canada, you're obviously not buying a downtown apartment or condo in some cities. That said, a 1-bedroom in a more middle-class environment is sustainable. Also, you assume based on baseless conjecture that he's losing over $1,150 to "transaction fees" and currency conversion, which I highly doubt is the case. In fact, that would be insanely retarded for Patreon to charge, since a lot of content creators use them and losing over $1,000 per month isn't small change to a lot of them. Patreon would have been sued out the ass and shut down long ago if that were the case.
The cost of living also varies a lot from state to state. In Texas you can find a 2 bed one bath apartment for under 1k a month while in Florida the price is almost double.
Basically this. Some places in Canada, there is absolutely no way to live in them
unless you're making six figures per year, and even that's debatable. Other places are quite affordable with just above minimum wage.
