Patreon

Summary

Patreon is a crowdfunding platform discussed in Session 10 as a potential business model for Shawn's professional GMing services. The platform was suggested by Brad as a way to test the viability of offering custom game sessions through high-tier subscription levels before investing in building a custom website. The group explored various pricing structures, including $50 and $500 tiers, to determine appropriate compensation for specialized gaming services.

Details

During the discussion, Brad proposed using Patreon as a starting point, asking "Couldn't you just do it as a really high level of Patreon first?" to test the concept before committing to more complex infrastructure. The players debated appropriate pricing tiers for custom game sessions. Abdul initially suggested "a $50 level" but immediately reconsidered, noting "that feels like it should be more" given the specialized nature of professional GM services. Dayna then proposed "a five hundred dollar level" as a more suitable price point for custom sessions.

Shawn indicated familiarity with this approach, mentioning "Daddy just has done that in the past" as a reference point for other shows that have used similar Patreon structures. The group agreed to research existing models, with Shawn noting "I'll look around and see what other shows have done" to inform their pricing strategy.

The platform was viewed as a lower-barrier entry point for monetization—offering built-in payment processing, patron management, and an existing user base familiar with supporting creative work through subscription models.

History

Session 10

Patreon emerged as the focus of a practical business discussion among the players. Brad introduced it as a testing platform for Shawn's professional GMing concept, specifically suggesting high-tier patron levels that would include custom game sessions as rewards. The conversation centered on pricing strategy, with the group weighing different dollar amounts—from $50 to $500—to find appropriate compensation for personalized gaming experiences. Shawn committed to researching how other campaigns have structured similar offerings on the platform, referencing examples of shows that had previously implemented this model.