In the past, I've had the most success getting financial support from fans by creating demos and then selling the full versions of games. I don't like the model. I would prefer to make everything free without ads and then take donations. The problem is that very few people donate when they can get something for free. I've considered Patreon, but there are some months when I don't have time to generate content, so that's not a great model. I don't want to participate in the per-project option at Patreon either.
I like the idea of selling promotional merchandise, though. This is probably the most difficult way to make money, but if you were to support an artist by buying swag, would you prefer to buy:
- a pencil for $5
- a button for $5
- an eraser for $5
- a T-shirt for $25
- a USB drive for $25
- or a postcard for $3?
Just leave a comment. You can PM me if you don't want to comment publicly. Also, feel free to suggest other swag or ideas.
Thanks!
CaptainJackTHAC0
t-shirts, digital downloads, books, or DVDs are the only swag i ever really buy, and i've got to really be invested in the artist in order to shell out money. i'm a miser, but there are a few artists out there who have really made an impact on my life and i just had to support them in some way even if it was only to buy a t-shirt with their characters or logo on it
hotdogtopus
Thanks! Yeah, I am mostly freemium, but will donate from time to time. It depends on how the artist will accept it. I don't like recurring transactions, so Patreon is mostly a 'no' for me.
Thanks!