Blizzard Watch Patreon status update and new benefits

We haven’t provided a status update on Blizzard Watch’s Patreon, but it’s about time we did. Blizzard Watch has been in operations for — by my quick count — a little over six months. Our community made our site possible and we currently have over 2,500 patrons giving us anywhere from $1 to $100 per month. Since launch, we’ve added some additional benefits for our patrons. First, our patrons receive a raw, uncut version of the Blizzard Watch Podcast immediately after we’ve finished recording it — this includes our pre-show and post-show chatter we usually cut from the final product. In addition, we’ve started a dedicated WoW lore podcast — Lore Watch — which our patrons receive a week earlier than anyone else. Now, knowing the wide range of people who support us, we’ve decided to launch a full suite of tiered benefits from our patrons in the hopes of appropriately rewarding all of our backers. Most of the benefits all of our patrons see now will continue to be available to everyone; much of what we’re announcing today is brand new. Below, you’ll find our current tier structure.

Tier 1 – Common Benefits
$1/month and up

• Priority given to questions in The Queue and Podcasts
• Get access to the latest episode of the Lore Watch podcast a week ahead of time.
• Get access to the latest episode of the Blizzard Watch podcast a couple days ahead of time.
• Invitation for drinks with the team at BlizzCon 2015. Time and date TBD.
• Access to a special channel in Blizzard Watch’s chat. Coming August 2015.
• Direct access to the editors via a special email address

Tier 2 – Uncommon Benefits
$5/month and up

• Everything in the previous level, plus:
• Monthly “Behind the Scenes” newsletter from the editors.
• Invitation to our annual “State of Blizzard” special podcast where we’ll cover the state of every game and talk about what’s in store for the next year. Will occur next in December 2015. We’ll take your thoughts beforehand and could share them on the air.
• Ad-free experience on BlizzardWatch.com. Tier 1 supporters will be grandfathered in until August 20th, 2015.

Tier 3 – Rare Benefits
$10/month and up

• Everything in the previous levels, plus:
• Get a sneak peek at what we’re planning editorially for the week every Monday in a private email from the leads of the site. Everything could make it into our schedule, or nothing could! But you’ll know well ahead of time.
• 1 free guild advertisement on Blizzard Watch’s upcoming guild recruitment tool. Coming August 2015.
• Recognition on our site as a Rare Supporter, with a link to your guild.

Tier 4 – Epic Benefits
$25/month and up

• Everything in the previous levels, plus:
• Once per year, you’ll receive a physical copy of our upcoming Blizzard Watch coloring book with fan art drawn by Blizzard Watch’s resident artists. A digital version will also be made freely available to anyone who wants it. Shipping addresses will be collected near the end of the year.
• Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look via a special twice-a-month podcast from the editors of Blizzard Watch. We’ll talk shop and fill you in on how we make the site happen.
• Recognition on our site as an Epic Supporter, with a link to your guild

Tier 5 – Legendary Benefits
$50/month and up

• Everything in the previous levels, plus:
• Listen in on the Blizzard Watch team’s private news channel during BlizzCon. You’ll have the same bleeding-edge experience the Blizzard Watch writers have. You’ll learn of key things before the public knows it. Because this channel will be actively used by staff to organize the release of information to millions around the world, you’ll only be able to listen — not talk.
• 1 free guild advertisement per-month on Blizzard Watch’s upcoming guild recruitment tool. Coming August 2015.
• Super secret legendary benefit currently in development.
• Recognition on our site as a Legendary Supporter, with a link to your guild

We sincerely hope all of our patrons will be pleased by our new rewards. Since all of you support us and what we do here, we’d like to both reward you for that support and provide regular insight into the behind-the-scenes activities of what we do here. Even these rewards on their own will provide some insight into what we’re working on: new podcasts, a guild recruitment tool, and more.

Previously, our ad-free experience was available to all of our patrons. Starting August 20 — roughly a month from today — only patrons of $5 or more will receive that benefit. We appreciate every single one of our patrons, but we’re constantly looking to how we can produce a bigger, better Blizzard Watch. We want to avoid a situation where we could end up losing money and thus be forced to scale back our content despite your support. We hope the new benefits added to the $1 and $5 tiers will make up the difference.

Thank you — all of you — for the support you’ve given Blizzard Watch so far. Thank you to those who have supported us thus far, will continue to support us, and may decide to support us in the future. We are always open to feedback on how we can better serve our patrons and today is no exception. If there’s anything you’d like to see as a new benefit for our patrons, please let us know.