Patreon is a platform that allows people to receive financial support from their audience through subscriptions. It allows creators, such as game developers like myself to make a Patreon page where their fans can subscribe to make regular payments (also called "pledges") to support the creator's ongoing work. In return, patrons (the people who make pledges) may get access to exclusive content, early access to new work, or other rewards offered by the creator.

It is a way for creators to have a sustainable income and continue creating without relying on ads or sponsors. Patreon is a way for creators to connect directly with their fans, and for fans to cut the middle-man and support the creators they love in a more meaningful way.

Patrons can choose from different membership levels (also called “tiers”) on a creator’s Patreon page. Each tier has a different pledge amount and it includes specific benefits. The more expensive a tier is, the more benefits and exclusive content one receives in return! Users can make monthly or yearly pledges and they can also change tiers anytime.

To summarize it in a sentence: Patreon is the name of the platform while patron is the name of the user who subscribes to a creator by making pledges (payments) to a tier on a regular basis whether that’s a monthly or yearly pledge.

You can read more about the benefits and my tiers on my Patreon page.

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