I already shared my stance on this. Does it hurt the developer when the game is shared immediately when a new update drops? Yes, because one of the reasons people sub is to get access to the new update. However I understand not everyone is in a financial situation to be able to support the game. If it gets leaked here, it is what is is.
I appreciate you guys for being interested in the game in the first place. Luckily, my livelihood doesn't depend on this game, but being able to afford the animations and improvements of the game are my #1 priority.
I will always release the update to the public, just after some time has passed. Mainly due to the fact I don't want people feeling scammed when purchasing a sub. If I pay for fast shipping on a product and I get it at the same time as my friend who didn't pay for that service, I'd feel scammed and angry too.
I have a few friends here and I was able to play your game yesterday. I won’t leak it, but I do disagree with you on some points.
This is a pirate forum — your game doesn't rely solely on it. There are many other games that don't have this 15-20 day delay rule, and their Patreons still grow steadily, simply because people appreciate the development and enjoy a good game.
You saying that the $50 tier should get access before the $30 tier is something that applies within your Patreon — you can’t impose that rule on a forum where you have no control. If someone from the $50 tier decides to share the game here, it won’t make you lose patrons. On the contrary, it can increase your numbers because more people will appreciate your work.
Just look at your own Patreon stats — you lose a few but gain far more. It doesn’t matter if your game gets leaked early or late, the demand always grows when it reaches an audience that doesn’t yet know your game or isn’t a patron. Even releasing it for everyone on day one — only a small group of entitled people get upset over the lack of exclusivity, and they represent 1% compared to the 99% you could gain.
