When the walled garden backfires

**Ken L** · September 26th, 2018, 12:59

So Roll20 is having a really bad day it seems. It banned someone for criticizing the platform; a paying subscriber in fact.

https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comment...reddit-android

It's kind of a 'I told you so' as I got email about when I left roll20, and my 'cryptic' profile message. This just validates it. If you're curious about my message, look up my profile (same name) on Roll20.

**dulux-oz** · September 26th, 2018, 13:22

Oh sh!t - someone has *really* shot themselves in the foot over that one.

As one of the Mods here I can tell you I'm pretty sure none of us would do something like this - and then make it worse. We'd at least hand it off to one of our fellow Mods and let them fix the issue.

Doug has also said to "keep a light touch" on Modding - but we don't have too, because practically all of the FG Community is kind, gracious and non-@ssholes (with maybe one or two exceptions).

And as I said in a different thread - FG doesn't ban criticism, because (I believe) FG'll stand up under the criticism anyway because its a better product.

Still, it might mean we get an influx of new people over the next little while - so "silver lining"

So if you're on the Roll20 forums and people ask, then send them over here for a lot "nicer" experience - but don't get yourselves banned for doing it

**GunnarGreybeard** · September 26th, 2018, 13:59

Wow, is the guy who dropped the hammer the same that's listed as a Co-Founder and PR person?

**dulux-oz** · September 26th, 2018, 14:03

Originally Posted by GunnarGreybeard

Wow, is the guy who dropped the hammer the same that's listed as a Co-Founder and PR person?

Yeah, I believe so

**damned** · September 26th, 2018, 14:07

I dunno - we're all human - Ive carried on *discussions* too far thinking I was being clever...

**Ken L** · September 26th, 2018, 14:24

The devs even responded, and swiftly headed into EA territory.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Roll20/comm...reddit-android

In the typical Roll20 response, they started deleting threads criticizing the platform en mass. TBF, a bunch of them are name calling and gas lighting the devs/moderators by name, others hitting on the platform and policies are also getting deleted at will too though.

**dulux-oz** · September 26th, 2018, 15:38

You know, I've just spent an hour or so reading the comments on Reddit on this, and all I can say is, I wish we had this as a case-study when I was doing my MBA, because I have *never* seen anyone commit business suicide so quickly or so thoroughly.

I know they're the competition, and I know what was said by the founder was simply way past stupid, but this might actually cause Roll20 to fail, and there's staff and their families to think about.

Thank God that Doug and John would never do something so stupid - the way the comments are going and the number of people saying that they're cancelling their subs or not using the VTT at all is simply astonishing - I don't know what Roll20's *real* revenue stream is like, but damn, are they going to take a hit!

**Valyar** · September 26th, 2018, 16:38

It was about time... I expected something like that to explode sooner.

**Andraax** · September 26th, 2018, 16:39

Yeah I spent some time last night and this morning reading it. Like one of the commentators said, it's like watching a train wreck...

**dulux-oz** · September 26th, 2018, 16:50

Originally Posted by Valyar

It was about time... I expected something like that to explode sooner.

Oh, why? what makes you say that?

Thread: When the walled garden backfires

Thread Tools