This is the first time I’ve launched anything like this.
When we made ChatMystery public, I started with a $10 Early Access tier. I thought that was the safest choice. Not too low, not too ambitious — just enough to cover the cost of running each player’s sessions through the AI backend. I was worried that setting a lower price would backfire later, or that I’d feel forced to raise it awkwardly if things got expensive.
But then reality hit.
A few people joined the free tier on Patreon — which was meant only as a placeholder — but no one bought a subscription.
Zero.
Which is… fair. $10 is a lot to ask for a tiny experimental project made by two people in their free time. And the truth is: I’m not here to make money. I’m here to find out if ChatMystery is something worth keeping alive.
So I’ve changed course.
👉 I’m launching a new tier:
Super Early Access Investigator – $1 USD/month
Only 10 slots, full access to everything.
The original Early Access Investigator ($10/month) stays as is — now open to 50 patrons instead of 20. That tier helps cover real costs. But this new $1 option is here for those who are curious, cautious, or just skeptical (and rightly so).
I know this isn’t how it’s “supposed” to be done. I know I’m breaking a bunch of imaginary rules.
But I’d rather have ten actual players for $1 than no one for $10.
This isn’t about monetization. It’s about survival.
It’s about learning whether this game — this strange, AI-driven experiment — can find the people who’ll enjoy it.
I’m figuring it out as I go.
Thanks for being here and helping us take the next step.
— Vojta