Some of the gamers who read this journal will have heard by now: RPGNow and DriveThruRPG have merged into a new company — OneBookShelf.com.
This is something which began back at GTS in March, and we’ve kept a lid on it until the official announcement today. If you’re interested, the press release can be found all over the place — here, for example.
Basically, the overall gist of it: RPGNow and DTRPG will continue operating two websites for the next 6 months or so, as a new site is programmed from the ground up. Until then, any product you upload at one site will be automatically listed at the other. The new site (currently un-named — they will be running a fan contest to come up with one) will take over operations, with the old sites turning into re-directs for the new one. What’s more, they’ve signed agreements with the two largest RPG forums, ENWorld and RPGNet, to run affiliate shops linked to those forums (again, which will be storefronts of the new unifed operation). This replaces the existing ENWorld GameStore, and launches a PDF sales site for RPGnet.
What does this mean for me? Well, I’ve been handling customer service emails for RPGNow for a few years now, as a consultant. I’m still doing that for the next few months at least. So that means that I’ll be busy as hell, mostly with helping publishers get used to the new set-up.
For Adamant, though, it’s a good thing — it’s massively cutting down on the amount of work I have to do to get products up for sale. I now only have to do it once, and it gets listed at RPGNow, DTRPG and ENGS, which I used to have to do separately…..and we’re getting a new sales site (RPGNet’s new PDF sales affiliate shop). The percentage that I make on each sale is dropping slightly (new company, different fee structure), but I feel fairly confident that the shortfall will be more than made up in increased sales.
So yeah….big changes. Interesting times.
So, a question — RPGNow offered “Get this PDF as a POD product through Lulu” options; will the new site do the same?
Sounds exciting, regardless!
Just reminding (since you’ve been rather busy lately) – GTS priority rate booth deadline is Oct 31.
Congrats again on the wedding! Want pictures!
Well, it will continue for at least the next 6 months (while the sites run as -is, as the new site is being programmed). After that, I’m not sure. Not my call — but it hasn’t really made a lot of money. People don’t really take advantage of it too often.
Yeah. No way I’m making the priority rate deadline.
Pictures will be posted soon.
Thanks for the answer!
Ye gods, man…
Interesting times
Don’t ASK for intesting times; you’ll get ’em. I’m just sayin’!
(Congratulations on the wedding . . . !)
As one of the paid staff reviewers for RPGNow.com, I do wonder how this may affect me . . . (Haven’t heard any talk of any of this in the Private Reviewers Forum . . . )
Well this sounds like a good advantage to the consumer as well. I’ll be interested to watch the changes.
(oh and hey GMS, congrats, I know you don’t know me personally but we have quite a few mutual friends.)
Cool.
Send my your email address? I don’t think I have it here.