It's not just about passion; time and money are crucial. I need to earn a living, so while I love making this game, time is a luxury. I can't speak for others, but having Patrons would allow me to dedicate more time to development and less to my day job.
The problem with that is that once a developer gets some Patrons, the the development becomes an actual obligation.
"Hey, dev, wanna go fishing?"
"Sorry, but I gotta work on the game."
"Hey bro, coming to my wedding?"
"Sorry sis, but I'm 3 weeks late with my update, I gotta get it done."
So many devs forget that there are commitments involved with subscription style development. They treat the money like it was found in a wallet on the subway.
I get needing to make money. I have been an RN over 30 years. Missed Christmases, Easters, Birthdays, funerals, weddings, weekend trips because I had to work. I wish that I could have waited for every problem in MY life go away before I had to save those lives!!!
But in that case, your silence is your biggest enemy. People are pretty forgiving if you are sincere. But silence equals scam, not sincerity. And you certainly seem decent and articulate enough.