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Ever wondered what happens when a subscription business stops treating supporters like walking credit cards and starts treating them like family? That's exactly what I discovered when I dove into the story of Viva La Dirt League.

Three New Zealand friends - Rowan, Alan, and Adam - were making gaming comedy videos as a side hustle back in 2016. Good content, decent following, but they were all still stuck in day jobs. Then they launched their Patreon, and everything changed.

But here's what completely blew my mind: They didn't just set up a "support us" page and cross their fingers. They built something much deeper.

These guys do monthly "Patreon Games" where they actually play with their Epic Level supporters. Not a webinar. Not a Q&A call. They're literally gaming together, creating shared experiences and inside jokes.

When they hit 1 million YouTube subscribers in 2019, they didn't just post a celebratory tweet. They live-streamed the countdown with their community and then got matching tattoos (yes, actual tattoos!) to commemorate the moment together.

Quick gut check: When was the last time your subscribers felt like they were part of something bigger than just receiving your content?

The results that made me rethink everything Here’s where this gets absolutely wild:

• $660,000 crowdfunded in 2020 for a short film in their Epic NPC Man universe
• $2.5 million raised in 2022 for their own studio and office space
• 6.73 million YouTube subscribers and 4.19 billion views
• Streamy Award nominations and representation by Creative Artists Agency
• Multiple spin-off series that their community actively supports
• Nice Day for Fishing video game for Steam, PlayStation, and Nintendo platforms released May 2025

That’s not just subscription success. That’s community devotion on a massive scale. But here’s my favorite part: When they needed funding for major projects, they didn’t turn to investors or banks. They turned to their community, and their fans showed up in a big way. Multiple times.

Here's what VLDL understands:

• Subscribers don't just want your product - they want to belong to your world
• Retention isn't about preventing cancellations - it's about creating belonging
• Community psychology beats subscription mechanics every single time
• True fans will fund your dreams if they feel genuinely connected to your mission

Instead of treating Patreon as a payment platform, they turned it into membership to an exclusive universe. Their supporters aren't just funding videos; they're co-creating experiences, influencing storylines, and building real relationships.

Whether you're running a newsletter, subscription box, or membership site, ask yourself: Are you just delivering value, or are you building a community that people want to belong to?

The difference between those two approaches might just be the difference between surviving and creating something extraordinary that your community will fund for years to come.

Want to see community psychology in action? Check out VLDL's YouTube channel and notice how they respond to comments. They're not creators talking to an audience - they're friends talking to friends. That shift in perspective changes absolutely everything.