D&D General Delisting titles on the DMs Guild

[hojulation]

It occurred to me as I read through all the different ways people are suggesting to protest the proposed changes to the OGL, that I haven't seen DMs Guild creators suggest delisting their content.

Now, I know full well, the terms of putting content up on DMs Guild. I know it becomes property of WotC. I've also heard the argument that the amount of revenue they actually generate from the Guild is small, but the visibility of products for sale is in the hands of the creator, as in, I can remove my documents and pull the listing down. If WotC would want it back up, they would have to do the physical work of loading these things back in.

I'm curious if any of the DMs Guild creators have considered this as a form of protest. I don't know who on here actually produces content, but my own decision has been to stop buying WotC products (and I'm likely to not renew my DDB subscription when it comes due) but I realized it felt hypocritical of me to somehow say that the content I had on the Guild was ok, because at least I was getting paid or something.

TLDR: DMs Guild creators, have you thought about delisting your products?

 

[eyeheartawk]

Considering that by publishing on the DMs Guild they are exempt from most of the new OGL stuff (as it is considered a separate agreement, this gets called out specifically in the 1.1 text) and that they've already accepted terms that are arguably worse in some respects by publishing there; I wouldn't count on it.

 

[delericho]

I wouldn't expect any DM's Guild creators to delist their products. For the most part they're not affected, and only liable to hurt themselves.

The one thing I would suggest they look out for (at least any that do a mix of DM's Guild and OGL products) is that WotC could change the conditions of DMG, requiring creators to sign away their right to use the OGL1.0 in future - that is, duplicating the "poison pill" of OGL1.1.

 

[Remathilis]

I'd be interested in knowing if there is any advantage to using OGL 1.1 vs DMs Guild for a small to medium sized publisher?

 

[delericho]

I'd be interested in knowing if there is any advantage to using OGL 1.1 vs DMs Guild for a small to medium sized publisher?

IIRC, DM's Guild takes a cut of all revenue, while with the OGL you only pay above $750. So for the small publisher, there is that benefit.

The downsides of OGL being that DM's Guild allows you to use a load of D&D IP that OGL doesn't allow... and that you'd have to be mad to sign up to OGL 1.1.

 

[Remathilis]

IIRC, DM's Guild takes a cut of all revenue, while with the OGL you only pay above $750. So for the small publisher, there is that benefit.

The downsides of OGL being that DM's Guild allows you to use a load of D&D IP that OGL doesn't allow... and that you'd have to be mad to sign up to OGL 1.1.

I guess if you're not trying to earn a living writing D&D modules, DMsG is a better bet. Access to IP is a far bigger draw than duty-free below 750k if you think this is only going to help fund your crippling dice addiction.

But afaik, 1.1 and DMsG have a lot of the same drawbacks (revokable at any time, claim to your work, etc).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I guess if you're not trying to earn a living writing D&D modules, DMsG is a better bet. Access to IP is a far bigger draw than duty-free below 750k if you think this is only going to help fund your crippling dice addiction.

But afaik, 1.1 and DMsG have a lot of the same drawbacks (revokable at any time, claim to your work, etc).

DriveThruRPG takes half of the bite that DMs Guild does. Unless you are using Elminster or carrion crawlers (it remains hilarious to me that carrion crawlers are protected IP), you're currently better off putting in DriveThruRPG. So long as you have product in both stores, the websites' discovery features will show you titles in both places, so creators can drive customers between the two storefronts.

That said, I expect WotC will eventually tell OBS to stop showing outside store content inside DMs Guild, to keep the audience ignorant of other offerings.

 

[Burnside]

DriveThruRPG takes half of the bite that DMs Guild does. Unless you are using Elminster or carrion crawlers (it remains hilarious to me that carrion crawlers are protected IP), you're currently better off putting in DriveThruRPG. So long as you have product in both stores, the websites' discovery features will show you titles in both places, so creators can drive customers between the two storefronts.

DMsGuild takes 50%, DriveThru takes 35% (or 30% if you're willing to make your product exclusive to DriveThruRPG, but tbh one of the main reasons you'd use DriveThru is NOT to give exclusivity).

There are reasons besides just the access to IP that creators would choose DMsGuild over DriveThru for a 5e product. DmsGuild's visibility is way higher, and WotC promotes its existence. If you're not already an established name, your overall sales of a 5E product are likely to be higher on DMsGuild than on DriveThru - enough to offset the less favorable revenue split.

 

[aco175]

At this point I have no plans to take anything down. I never planned to get rich by posting modules on DMsGuild. I post all of the stuff as pay what you want (PWYW) and a small suggested price. It pays me only several hundred dollars a year. I bought my group tickets to the local convention next month and some new golf shoes with some of it recently, but usually a few books and such.

I always looked at it as helping out the community and the game that has always been part of my life. I like to picture some teens in a basement not having the coin to buy adventures and that I can help. I like to think that maybe I can help get some people into the game in a small way.

 

[Burnside]

I don't plan to take anything down. I make $1-$2k/year on my stuff, and yes a fair amount of that I then spend on TTRPG stuff (WotC and otherwise).

WotC would neither notice nor care if I pulled my stuff, so mainly I'd just be hurting myself. But tbh I have new projects in the works, and the present climate does make me consider whether or not I really want to put them out. I'm sure many creators feel the same way. It's certainly hard to feel enthusiastic about making 5E content at the moment.