why devs don't post their paypal for donations?

Darknerious

Newbie
Game Developer
Apr 19, 2022
63
267
Hi, future game dev here, I need a couple of weeks to finish the first build of my first VN, and Ive noticed how time consuming it is, so i feel more confortable to say i will plan to accept donations to motivate me. the thing is I havent seen any dev asking direct donations, like through paypal... and im curious why? I mean patreon and other sites like that look more fun to use and that. but who knows if a billionaire plays your game and decide to support you with a couple of hundreds, thousands or even millions... since at max we will have a 100$ m/membership in our patreon... who knows, u're probably losing that hit of luck.
so, is there a reason i shouldn't post my paypal or similars for donations?
 

MidnightArrow

Member
Aug 22, 2021
497
420
Hi, future game dev here, I need a couple of weeks to finish the first build of my first VN, and Ive noticed how time consuming it is, so i feel more confortable to say i will plan to accept donations to motivate me. the thing is I havent seen any dev asking direct donations, like through paypal... and im curious why? I mean patreon and other sites like that look more fun to use and that. but who knows if a billionaire plays your game and decide to support you with a couple of hundreds, thousands or even millions... since at max we will have a 100$ m/membership in our patreon... who knows, u're probably losing that hit of luck.
so, is there a reason i shouldn't post my paypal or similars for donations?
Because Paypal will ban the shit out of you and take your money. There was a fairly vanilla hentai game that raised money on Kickstarter, and Paypal stole all their money by claiming TOS violation. Patreon reached a deal with Paypal, so it's the only "safe" avenue I'm aware of, but you need to follow Patreon's rules to get paid. No incest, no kiddie porn, etc. (Not that I have a problem with either of those getting scrubbed off the internet for good.)
 
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MarbleCrown

Member
Game Developer
Apr 7, 2022
114
413
Not only is it against Paypal TOS, but if a billionaire wanted to give me 100k, he can message me through many online mediums to reach out and arrange it. I don't think not having a direct donation platform on hand is what's gonna hold someone like that back. Assuming that no such person wants to give me that much money, subscription platforms allow for a better way to manage your support community and integrates other community platforms like Discord directly. It's also better for directly engaging your community with the tiered incentives directly on the platform that can be used for the subscription.
 
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Rafster

Bear chaser
Game Developer
Mar 23, 2019
2,006
3,923
so, is there a reason i shouldn't post my paypal or similars for donations?
I always wondered this myself, and just recently found out why. And yeah, the above posters are right: Paypal does not want to do anything to do with adult entertainment, or sex, so, intermediaries like patreon or itch are necessary. Look at any adult site, for example kink.com, and see why they don't have paypal as payment option: because their TOS.

I know, they suck.
 
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MidnightArrow

Member
Aug 22, 2021
497
420
I always wondered this myself, and just recently found out why. And yeah, the above posters are right: Paypal does not want to do anything to do with adult entertainment, or sex, so, intermediaries like patreon or itch are necessary.
There's also Stripe.

The game I mentioned that got banned off Kickstarter, Lewd Idol Project, did another fundraiser on Indiegogo, which uses Stripe, and it seems like everything worked out fine. Stripe also processes payments for OnlyFans too, and even HentaiFoundry is using Subless (which uses Stripe) for donations. So even though both ban lewd content it seems like Stripe is more lenient.
 
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MidnightArrow

Member
Aug 22, 2021
497
420
Edit: On second thought, probably best not to discuss this on a public forum.
 
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WICKEDp4th

Before Alice went to Wonderland, she had to fall.
Donor
Sep 6, 2017
3,235
5,478
Some Dev's/Modder's use for tips and donations.
 

Mystic

Elleria - Developer
Moderator
Donor
Game Developer
Nov 24, 2019
1,888
4,141
Yes, I was once contacted by Elon Musk himself. He didn't give me anything however, rather I borowed him money to buy Twitter.
 

WICKEDp4th

Before Alice went to Wonderland, she had to fall.
Donor
Sep 6, 2017
3,235
5,478
Yes, I was once contacted by Elon Musk himself. He didn't give me anything however, rather I borowed him money to buy Twitter.
And now he is renovating the Bathrooms at the Twitter HQ by himself. :ROFLMAO:

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feierflei

Protect pretty exhibitionists at all costs!
Game Developer
Jul 24, 2017
449
1,702
Yes, I was once contacted by Elon Musk himself. He didn't give me anything however, rather I borowed him money to buy Twitter.
He once asked me for a bitcoin so he could give me two in return. He hasn't gotten back to me yet, but he's a busy man after all, so I'll be patient.
 
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Mystic

Elleria - Developer
Moderator
Donor
Game Developer
Nov 24, 2019
1,888
4,141
And now he is renovating the Bathrooms at the Twitter HQ by himself. :ROFLMAO:

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Well I borrowed him money to buy twitter, not for him to not work. It is all as it should be.

He once asked me for a bitcoin so he could give me two in return. He hasn't gotten back to me yet, but he's a busy man after all, so I'll be patient.
Patience, he'll contact you again. He has returned half of my money already by selling some Tesla shares.
 
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Count Morado

Conversation Conqueror
Respected User
Jan 21, 2022
6,889
12,790
And now he is renovating the Bathrooms at the Twitter HQ by himself. :ROFLMAO:

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Possible captions:
  1. On this episode of Undercover Boss...
  2. "Does this make me look tan?"
  3. The looting begins.
  4. Liquidation sale! Everything must go! Even the kitchen sink!
  5. "He drilled me so deep, I pulled the sink off the wall"
 

Yooshi

Mega-Chonker
Game Developer
Dec 11, 2017
238
945
It's still kinda abstract thing for me, that paypal can just decide you violated the rules and boop, your money is ours now.

Imagine a bank doing this :v
 

MidnightArrow

Member
Aug 22, 2021
497
420
It's still kinda abstract thing for me, that paypal can just decide you violated the rules and boop, your money is ours now.

Imagine a bank doing this :v
"Imagine"?

They take people's houses because they can't be bothered to double-check computer errors, then they turn around and bitch at Stripe for processing orders for a sex toy company.

 

Mow.Mow.Mow.

Newbie
Oct 10, 2022
53
18
There's always ko-fi tips. if someone tips they don't have to declare why they are tipping. ;)

& yeah paypal do random things. They locked my old account after a kickstarter for an SFW game because x amount of money was dumped into it at the same time - luckily I managed to transfer it to the bank before they locked the account, but there's still a €100 or so euros left in it that I haven't been able to access since they locked it a few years or so back.