Roll20 & OneBookShelf Partnership FAQ

Is the Roll20 Marketplace or any OneBookShelf Marketplace going to shut down?

No. Both Roll20 and OneBookShelf were doing great prior to this, and now we’re even stronger. There is no risk of anything shutting down. 

Do we need to sign a new contract? 

At some point in the coming months, when you log into your OneBookShelf publishing partner account, you’ll be prompted with an update to your publishing partner agreement. There’s no material change to any terms of business; it’s just an update to account for legal formalities of the agreement. 

Similarly, there will be no change to the Roll20 Marketplace Creator agreement.

Will there be any changes to my fees or royalties?

Your fees and costs associated with either organization will stay the same.

Will there be any changes to any OneBookShelf sites?

All OneBookShelf marketplaces (including DMsGuild, Wargame Vault, DriveThruComics, etc.) will continue to operate without change as part of this amalgamation.

Will we be dealing with new representatives now? 

No one previously with Roll20 or OneBookShelf is leaving as a result of these changes. Your contacts remain the same as before. In the longer term, the partner-facing teams from both sides will gradually be working more closely together to serve you better. 

How does this move help partners? 

This consolidation is a good strategic move for both parties that’s been years in the making, and it puts us all collectively closer to the user experience we want to deliver. 

This move should bring you better sales because it provides a superior opportunity to meet current customer demands: You will be able to sell content to people where they are actually playing games online. With Roll20 launching PDF support on the virtual tabletop, there’s new value to PDF content for tabletop RPG players, with minimal conversion investment.

The overlap of Roll20 customers and OneBookShelf customers is surprisingly small, which means this is a large cross-selling opportunity, bringing content from each platform to the other platform’s audience – thus bringing more customers and driving more sales for you. 

You will also be able to present and sell your content in all available formats, and in whatever combinations and pricing schemes you prefer (while we provide data on what we find to be best practices for maximizing revenue). 

Will we need to manage two separate accounts now? 

For the moment, yes, but in the longer term, we expect you may have a single partner account that allows you to manage titles across all marketplaces. 

Are the marketplaces going to be joining together too? 

As far as we know at this juncture, they will remain separate. 

What do the changes look like in the shorter term? 

First, content accessibility. Millions of users maintain significant libraries of content they’ve purchased on OneBookShelf sites; with a little teamwork, we’ll be able to link those libraries directly into user accounts on the Roll20 platform. That means a customer will be able to pull up PDFs they bought on DriveThruRPG and access them directly inside of their Roll20 game. 

Next, file size and storage limits. We believe users should be able to access files hosted in a DriveThruRPG library without affecting their storage limits on Roll20. 

And what is the long-term plan? 

As the new DriveThruRPG marketplace (now being previewed) and the Roll20 platform become more closely integrated, we will be able to offer users all of the advantages of the biggest VTT platform out there, which is improving constantly, plus all the quality-of-life benefits that a new marketplace design, industry-veteran staff, and our huge collective catalog of content can provide. 

These integrated features should appeal to partners and content creators, since improved store functionality embedded seamlessly into the Roll20 VTT environment means their content will gain better exposure to a wider audience of potential customers, right in the game space where they are already playing those games. 

Beyond those things, we will need time for our teams to work more closely together and develop a roadmap based on our current and expected capabilities. 

Can we sell PDFs on the Roll20 store? 

Soon, yes. We will make it possible, pending technical teams reviewing and assessing that implementation. 

Increasing your ability to make sales via the Roll20 platform is a high priority. 

Will we be able to sell print-on-demand titles via the Roll20 store? 

No. For now, nothing changes regarding POD books or cards on OneBookShelf sites. You’ll still set them up and sell them, as ever, via the OneBookShelf/DriveThru interface. 

What if we are working on VTT content now or we already sell VTT assets?

That’s great. If you already sell on both Roll20 and on DriveThruRPG, then not much changes for you. If anything, more people will see your content, buy it, and be able to use it right away. 

Eventually, your single account may connect you to both platforms, so it should simplify some things in your process. 

Will there be an opportunity for “Hybrid PDF” packaged content?

Hybrid PDF content refers to maps and tokens semi-converted to VTT content (as opposed to a full compendium conversion), to be used on Roll20 together in conjunction with PDF content. 

This is still a viable option that would allow us to take advantage of both DTRPG’s and Roll20’s respective strengths in the short term, yes. As PDF integration is unlocked on the Roll20 Marketplace, that content can be complemented by Addons, Modules, or Compendiums that pull out some of the PDF titles’ most VTT-friendly features, making for a fast conversion project with immediate added value for customers.

What if we don’t care about VTTs or other digital platforms? 

That’s fine too! But if you are open to it, then this new arrangement might help you move into a space where a lot of people play games, giving your content much greater exposure. 

However, you can keep on making and selling PDFs just as you do now. 

Is DriveThruRPG still working with other VTTs like Fantasy Grounds? 

SmiteWorks, the folks behind Fantasy Grounds, have confirmed that they will continue to support and sell Fantasy Grounds-compatible products on both DMsGuild and DriveThruRPG. Nothing will change for users there. 

We aren’t planning any changes to how Foundry or other VTT content is sold currently on the DriveThruRPG marketplace. We believe we can maintain friendly relationships with other VTT platforms, as we feel that there is ample room for us and our industry to grow together. 

In short, if other VTT platforms are still willing to work with us, then we feel the same way. 

What about Astral: Will we shut it down? 

Yes, Astral VTT is now closed down, effective August 30, 2022. 

OneBookShelf community programs: Do they all need to be renegotiated?

We have already spoken with some of our biggest licensors, and we plan to speak with other partners who have community programs with us in the coming days. 

It is our hope and our intent that we’ll eventually be able to open up all of our existing and future community programs to Roll20 content. 

How does this change affect my exclusivity?

Any exclusivity you had selling on OneBookShelf sites (with the exception of DMsGuild and Storytellers Vault content) or on Roll20 now opens to selling across both marketplaces.

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