I mean, many open source projects offer paid subscriptions for hosting their service for you, in the world of hosted applications. So I mean, there are ways to monetize free software, indirectly.
Witcher IV is free but you want more than 30fps? For just $5/mo and you can play at a stunning 60fps! Want unlocked framerate? That’s $15/mo. 4k textures? $5/mo please. Want more than one saved game? Upgrade to three whole saved games for $10/mo!
This would be nice if you could feed your family with free software.
But you can’t.
They foss, not free.
FOSS means free and open source software mate.
Mindustry seems to be doing just fine.
Mindustry is paid on Steam? Thats not FOSS that’s just open source.
An outlier is not the norm. Cave Story and La Mulana inevitably need to be sold to generate the dev’s incomeEdit: mistaken Mindustry for being FOSS
Mindustry has also been paid since launch, its open source, not FOSS.
Has GNUv3 license
I mean, many open source projects offer paid subscriptions for hosting their service for you, in the world of hosted applications. So I mean, there are ways to monetize free software, indirectly.
Witcher IV is free but you want more than 30fps? For just $5/mo and you can play at a stunning 60fps! Want unlocked framerate? That’s $15/mo. 4k textures? $5/mo please. Want more than one saved game? Upgrade to three whole saved games for $10/mo!
This is essentially what you are asking for.
I feel like people would buy a game if the alternative was just that you have to compile it yourself and not have Steam achievements
They do. Mindustry, Residual, and Asperite come to mind.
What part of free did you miss from their comment? Those are only open source games, not FOSS like they specified.