It comes with serious downside. Harder to get grants, can't promote your work at conferences and podcasts, nag other devs in person to review your work. And it reduces your chances of getting arrested by 0%.

There's gradations of anonymity, but they have a real cost. If you're super introverted and hate conferences, then sure, use a fake name and photo - that's low opportunity cost. 

 So you're saying it's more beneficial to devs to be known rather than anon. Seems like the majority of your reasoning is compensation based 

 Well without compensation you have to either already be rich, get a fiat job - given you less time to work on Bitcoin - or live very cheaply. Those are all legitimate options, but they come with trade-offs. 

 But I did mean opportunity much more broadly than financial. 

 As does being known. I just wanted to get to that point.
The trade offs. So it comes down to what the individual wants. 

No single playbook, if you will, will apply to everyone.