They may be just using the wrong business model. If you can pitch a good enough idea, I easily see either a kickstarter one time or ongoing patreon like project

They may be just using the wrong business model. If you can pitch a good enough idea, I easily see either a kickstarter one time or ongoing patreon like project to support a games development would work, where the assets are CC licensed and the code GPL, and the community funds its development and anyone can play it for free. Think 0ad, for mobile. No reason the model couldn't transfer.