You buy it. You own it.

You really don't.

When I founded Rogue Games in 2007, one of my most important decisions was how to handle PDFs. Specifically, should a customer who buys a physical copy of a book also get the PDF for free? The decision was simple: if you buy the book, you get the PDF. I wasn’t the first publisher to adopt this idea, and I certainly won’t be the last, but it felt right. I took it further by choosing not to use DRM. Why? I believe in treating customers respectfully and not assuming they are thieves, which DRM implies. My reasoning is straightforward: when you buy it, you own it, and the content is yours.

Content is King

A book, a PDF, an eBook, or a Kindle book are different forms of content. And you should be free to use that content however you want, without restrictions. Want to print a few pages? Go ahead. Want to copy and paste sections to create handouts? Feel free. Do you want to print the entire PDF and have it bound at a copy shop? Why not? Some might consider this a death blow for books, but I am still here.

At GenCon 2010, I met with Arc Dream Publishing, Cellar Games, Cubicle 7, Evil Hat Productions, and Pelgrane Press, and we agreed to collaborate on a program focused on PDFs. Together, we formed Bits and Mortar to give retail stores the same opportunities as online platforms: free PDFs with book purchases. The only requirement? The physical book has to be bought at a retail store. The system worked. Retailers realized we weren’t competing against them but working with them.

As the program grew, more publishers wanted to join. At first, we hesitated. Should we keep the program small and focused or open it up to others? Eventually, we decided to expand and allowed more companies to participate. This wasn’t about us gatekeeping but ensuring everyone believed in the philosophy of “buy the book, get the PDF for free.” Some publishers hesitated at first. After all, giving something away—even when the customer has already paid for it—goes against traditional capitalist thinking: sell everything, sell it high, and squeeze every last dollar. But they came around. Since the founding of Bits and Mortar, the number of participating retail stores has grown to over 200, and the original seven publishers have expanded to 216.

I’ve since simplified the program for myself: buy the book from any retailer, send proof of purchase, and you get the PDF for free.

Why this history lesson?

Let’s talk about Wizards of the Coast (WotC).

From the digital piracy controversy of 2009 to the OGL debacle (reversal, eventual surrender, and saving face move), to the forced upgrade and their backtracking when it comes to D&D Beyond in regards to the upcoming release of the 2024 Player’s Handbook, WotC has shown that you do not truly “own” your copy of the rules. This is the real issue: ownership. If you buy the book, the content should be yours. You shouldn’t lose access to the PDFs, or in the case of versions designed for virtual tabletops, you have the right to transfer your purchases from one platform to another. It’s simple.

“I don’t mind you thinking I’m stupid, but don’t talk to me like I’m stupid.”
― Harlan Ellison

Every action WotC takes is anti-consumer, but they aren’t alone. Amazon, Apple, YouTube TV, and countless other online purveyors of goods and services share the same mindset: you are not an owner. You are, in fact, a renter. You rent the content, often at a high price, and as a renter, the company can take access away from you at any time.

This brings me back to my point: content.

Content is a commodity. We buy it, think we own it, and then find out we don’t. WotC actions shouldn’t be shocking. Unfortunately, this is the reality of the digital age. The more we move into a digital environment, the more our purchase rights are eroded. So, what are the options?

Buy physical? It is only viable if you prefer reading electronically or have shelf space. Buy digitally? Accept that what you buy may no longer be yours at any time. Or sail the seas and download what you want? But two wrongs don’t make a right. The more we move to a digital environment, the more our purchase rights are taken.

Putting it another way.

On a personal note, I was diagnosed with New Daily Persistent Headache (NDPH) last summer, and now I’m prone to cluster headaches, which mimic the symptoms of a stroke. Every time these symptoms appear, I have no choice but to go to the emergency room. After the second incident, the ER doctor told my wife and me we couldn’t ignore the signs. If I feel them, I go to the ER. It was the most honest conversation I’ve ever had with a doctor.

Me: “So, this is my life? Treat everything like a stroke?”

Doctor: “Yeah. I’m not going to lie, it sucks.”

This is where we are now. We don’t own what we buy digitally and can do nothing about it.

It sucks.