Due to the recent events of DriveThruRPG banning The Red Room from their store, because they criticized them, I thought it would be a good idea to make a list of alternative storefronts where you can buy and sell TTRPGs:
Big Geek Emporium
Big Geek Emporium was specifically created as a free-speech alternative to DriveThruRPG. Their policies are great, but they are still new, barebones, and relatively small storefront, so you probably won't get many sales if you want to sell your products there. Their selection is also still limited and will probably always remain so because DriveThruRPG maintains its monopoly by offering special deals to creators who sell their games exclusively there. All products are digital only.
CORRECTION 1: I've been informed that Big Geek Emporium offers print-on-demand copies of some games sold there. It is done through Lulu though.
https://biggeekemporium.com/
Itch.io
While not primarily a TTRPG storefront, Itch.io does allow TTRPGs to be sold on its website. While the company's owner ideologically sorts himself with the "woke" crowd, he has maintained a pro-free-speech policy on his website. Still, he could be one Twitter campaign away from apologizing for "not realizing the harm that he was causing" and promising to "do better". All products are digital only.
https://itch.io/
Moordereht
The Red Room's storefront. After they were banned from DriveThruRPG, The Red Room created its own storefront. They are known as a pro-free-speech company, but they are even smaller than Big Geek Emporium, so the problems with sales and visibility are even bigger. They pretty much only sell Red Room products right now. All products are digital only.
https://moordereht.com/
The Basic Expert
It's a storefront owned by The Basic Expert. Pretty much has the same advantages and problems as Moordereht. All products are digital only.
https://thebasicexpert.com/
Postmortem Studios
It's a storefront owned by James "Grim" Desborough. While it serves primarily as a storefront for his own games, which he created after his game Hentacle was banned from DriveThruRPG, they also sell games from other creators. Primarily, The Red Room. The storefront is somewhat bigger than Moordereht and The Basic Expert, but the same problems still remain. All products are digital only.
https://post-mort.com/
Noble Knight Games
I don't know much about Noble Knight Games or their free-speech policies. Venger said that they refused to work with him because he's too controversial and then they tried to sell the games that he gave them without his permission. They are certainly bigger than Postmortem Studios, The Basic Expert, and Moordereht. All products are physical only. They sell both new and used copies of games.
https://www.nobleknight.com/
Gumroad
Also not primarily a TTRPG website. They are certainly big, but they generally shy away from anything that could get them in legal trouble, so adult content is not allowed there. Also, they have previously removed products because of the pressure campaigns. They are generally regarded as a free-speech store, but they are not completely safe from censorship. Products are both digital and physical.
https://gumroad.com/
Lulu
Lulu is a place that primarily sells books. TTRPGs are allowed as well. I have not heard any complaints about their free-speech policies. A lot of RPG publishers use it as an alternative to DriveThruRPG. Products are both digital and print-on-demand.
https://www.lulu.com/
Smashwords
Smashwords is similar to Lulu. They were forced to censor some erotica some time ago because PayPal demanded it (NOTE: All of these storefronts could be subjected to PayPal censorship), but otherwise, I haven't heard anything negative or positive about their censorship policies. Products are both digital and print-on-demand.
https://www.smashwords.com/
The Game Crafter
They chose to allow Grim Jim to sell his GamerGate card game there and refuse to remove it when pressured about it. They are not exactly an RPG storefront though. They are more for the games like Monopoly and Risk, although I did see RPG game pieces being sold there. All products are print-on-demand only.
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/
eBay
It's a storefront owned by a big corporation that I imagine would censor anything as much as any other big corporation would. Products are both digital and physical.
https://www.ebay.com/
Amazon
Same as eBay. Products are both digital and physical.
https://www.amazon.com/
Alibaba
Same as eBay and Amazon. Products are both digital and physical.
https://www.alibaba.com/
UPDATE 1:
Warehouse 23
Storefront owned by Steve Jackson Games. They banned the GamerGate card game from their store. Steve Jackson is also ultra-progressive. Probably not a free-speech-friendly store. Products are both digital and physical.
https://warehouse23.com/
CORRECTION 2: Cubicle 7 shouldn't have been on this list as they only sell their own games and was, therefore, removed.
UPDATE 2:
Compose Dream Games
Compose Dream Games founder is a poster on this website and seems to be a supporter of free speech. I think that the store is exclusive to Canada though, but I'm not sure. Products are both digital and print-on-demand.
https://composedreamgames.com/
If you know any other storefront willing to sell TTRPGs, please let me know, and I'll see if I can update the list.
Steve Jackson Games e23 carries other companies games though I'm not sure what limitations there are and SJG has always been progressive, long before woke was a thing, on the other hand they've stood their ground when challenged and attacked by the pack of hyenas so at least they've got a backbone.
Just registered with Big Geek...perusing their selection, and saw the Braumhaven setting book.
Is it worthy?
Unless they sell a product with a swastika on it and have a monero payment option, you can't be sure that they are willing to go to the mat for free speech, because they will be too small to have been targeted and have not actually enraged enough anti-speech activists. Speaking of free speech, are there any actual public-facing statements you can link to by these people? If someone is on record being in favor of free speech and opposed to censorship (or even just a certain type of censorship), then that's a big mark in their favor.
Sorry for the sour tone, and thank you for the list.
Quote from: Venka on April 16, 2023, 01:41:41 PMUnless they sell a product with a swastika on it and have a monero payment option, you can't be sure that they are willing to go to the mat for free speech, because they will be too small to have been targeted and have not actually enraged enough anti-speech activists.
Sounds like it's time for me to release my 800 page Ilsa: She Wolf Of The S.S. rpg.
Quote from: Venka on April 16, 2023, 01:41:41 PM
Unless they sell a product with a swastika on it and have a monero payment option, you can't be sure that they are willing to go to the mat for free speech, because they will be too small to have been targeted and have not actually enraged enough anti-speech activists. Speaking of free speech, are there any actual public-facing statements you can link to by these people? If someone is on record being in favor of free speech and opposed to censorship (or even just a certain type of censorship), then that's a big mark in their favor.
Sorry for the sour tone, and thank you for the list.
DTRPG caves to internal pressure, big sellers threatening to take their games off DTRPG if they don't can someone else, or ban a particular product. It doesn't appear they're doing it themselves, as much as they don't have any backbone. It's possible that they would take something with a Swastika down while still leaving up anything else we would actually care about (or even not, like I don't really care about any of James Desborough's games, but the way DTRPG censored him was wrong).
Quote from: Venka on April 16, 2023, 01:41:41 PM
Unless they sell a product with a swastika on it and have a monero payment option, you can't be sure that they are willing to go to the mat for free speech, because they will be too small to have been targeted and have not actually enraged enough anti-speech activists. Speaking of free speech, are there any actual public-facing statements you can link to by these people? If someone is on record being in favor of free speech and opposed to censorship (or even just a certain type of censorship), then that's a big mark in their favor.
Sorry for the sour tone, and thank you for the list.
Moordereht, The Basic Expert, Big Geek Emporium, and Postmortem Studios are what we would refer to as "Anti-SJWs". So they are all ideologically motivated into allowing free speech on their platforms. They are the only ones who we could say with confidence would not cave into censorship as they are ideologically motivated to keep free speech on their website. As for every other store on this list, O'Sullivan's first law applies, with some reservations.
The story with The Game Crafter is something that I saw on a forum a long time ago, where some SJW complained that they contacted TGC to demand that they remove the GamerGate card game and TGC replied to them that, as long as there is nothing illegal in it, it will stay. It was a long time ago and I can't find that comment, so you will have to take my word for it, however, it is more than likely that they would cave in if enough pressure was put on them.
Checking out Big Geek right now. Looks good.
Thanks for mentioning it.
Quote from: Venka on April 16, 2023, 01:41:41 PM
Unless they sell a product with a swastika on it and have a monero payment option, you can't be sure that they are willing to go to the mat for free speech, because they will be too small to have been targeted and have not actually enraged enough anti-speech activists. Speaking of free speech, are there any actual public-facing statements you can link to by these people? If someone is on record being in favor of free speech and opposed to censorship (or even just a certain type of censorship), then that's a big mark in their favor.
Sorry for the sour tone, and thank you for the list.
That's a bit reductionist.
How many people are trying to sell a game with a swastika on the cover?
I get your point, but you're treating people who've never been subjected to that standard as if they'd fail it. In some cases that might be fair (Warehouse 23), but in others it is not.
I'm a proud seller on Big Geek Emporium!
I would not buy anything 'digital' aka downloadable from eBay or Alibaba. Typically on eBay after purchase, the seller messages you (through eBay) for your email. They then email you a link where you supposedly can download your purchase. Alternatively, I've seen sellers who instead mail you a thumb drive.
(https://i.imgflip.com/27wm6h.jpg?a467170)
I used to buy the odd this and that from Noble Knight, but for the last few years their shipping costs have priced me out of their target demographic, which apparently must be members of Elon Musk's country club.
I have to ask, why list Cubicle 7? They don't sell any other products than their own.
Quote from: Punch and Pie on April 18, 2023, 06:37:15 AM
I would not buy anything 'digital' aka downloadable from eBay or Alibaba. Typically on eBay after purchase, the seller messages you (through eBay) for your email. They then email you a link where you supposedly can download your purchase. Alternatively, I've seen sellers who instead mail you a thumb drive.
Yeah, if people are selling this way there is a good chance they are doing something illegal.
This site count as alternative?
https://www.pigames.net/store/default.php
Quote from: Punch and Pie on April 18, 2023, 06:37:15 AM
I have to ask, why list Cubicle 7? They don't sell any other products than their own.
Will Fix it.
Quote from: Cathal on April 18, 2023, 05:58:04 PM
This site count as alternative?
https://www.pigames.net/store/default.php
I believe they also only sell games they themselves publish.
Quote from: Hopladamus on April 16, 2023, 12:30:31 PM
It's a storefront owned by The Basic Expert. Pretty much has the same advantages and problems as Moordereht. All products are digital only.
https://thebasicexpert.com/
I really love his products. I don't and never will buy .pdfs and that is all they sell on their site. They should work with the site Exalted Funeral to sell print editions.
I will add Compose Dream Games as they are a poster on this forum and seem to agree with free speech principles:
https://www.therpgsite.com/pen-paper-roleplaying-games-rpgs-discussion/apology-to-zak-smith/msg1250854/#msg1250854