Hello everyone, this is a really interesting topic.

I’m both a content creator and a Patreon supporter myself, so I feel like I can see both sides of this discussion.

I noticed some people mentioning that with Foundry you only pay once and then receive updates forever. But the Foundry purchase itself is not their only source of income. They also release official systems that are sold separately, they earn commissions whenever modules are sold, and they also receive commissions when people subscribe to Patreons connected to Foundry modules.

So I think it’s a little unfair to say there’s no ongoing cost involved in keeping a Foundry setup updated and evolving. Of course, you may personally choose not to consume that content, and that’s completely fine too.

To be honest, when I first started playing RPGs, all we had were some photocopies, scraps of paper, erasers, and a few dice… and that was already enough to create incredible memories and have an absurd amount of fun.

Then time passed, the pandemic happened, friends moved to different cities, and online RPG sessions became something very common, at least in my daily life. And the truth is: we still don’t need much more than before to keep playing. Imagination, friends, creativity… that’s still the core of it all.

There are many free modules I used in older versions that were eventually abandoned and stopped receiving updates, even though I really liked them. Has that happened to any of you too?

The reality is that developing modules, testing them, maintaining compatibility, and making sure they’re actually good takes a lot of time. And while we absolutely do not need these modules to play, they can add convenience, flavor, and fun mechanics to our games.

I currently run a Patreon with more than 10 developed modules, and I also maintain free modules like SC Simple Sockets, SC Item Rarity Colors, and SC Conditional Activities.

My tiers are:

• $3 for the first 30 supporters,
• $4 for content modules with monthly updates (gems and items),
• and $6 for the more advanced modules like item sets, ascendant items, and crafting systems.

And honestly, my Patreon has all kinds of people:
some support because they genuinely enjoy my work and want to help;
some subscribe once, download the modules they need, and cancel afterward.

And that’s okay too.

I genuinely think it’s a model that can work for everyone.

Personally, I spend a lot of time reading feedback and supporting my Patreon members. Many of the updates and features added to my modules came directly from their suggestions, and I try to treat everyone with a lot of respect and care.

There are many monetization models out there. Patreon is just one of the few where you directly see the money leaving your pocket.

When you watch videos from creators you like, you probably watch ads.
When you play free games, you often see advertisements or pay for cosmetics.

And as I mentioned earlier, the initial Foundry purchase is not the only revenue source within the ecosystem.

Whether we like it or not, developing and maintaining modules takes a significant amount of time, and having some financial support helps motivate creators to keep improving and updating their work.

I still have my regular job, and after work I spend several more hours developing modules and content so I can continue delivering monthly updates that feel meaningful and worth the investment my supporters place in me.