Partner Requirements

To maintain platform quality and protect our users, we have a set of requirements for all PlayRen partners. Review these before applying.

Business Requirements

Legal Entity

You must be a registered business entity (LLC, corporation, sole proprietorship, etc.). Individual hobbyist developers should consider publishing through an existing partner instead.

Game Rights

You must hold the distribution rights for every game in your catalog. This means you are either:

• The developer who created the game, or
• A publisher/distributor with a signed licensing agreement granting digital distribution rights.

PlayRen may request proof of rights during onboarding or at any time.

Minimum Catalog

Partners should have at least 3 games ready for upload at launch. This ensures users who add your library code have a meaningful selection to choose from. Single-game partners may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Content Standards

All games must comply with PlayRen's content policies:

• No illegal content.
• Proper age ratings and content warnings must be provided.
• Games must be complete and functional — no broken builds or placeholder content.

Technical Requirements

Game Engine

Games must be built with a supported engine. Currently, Ren'Py is the primary supported engine. Games must:

• Run on Linux (x86_64).
• Launch without manual intervention (no installer dialogs or setup wizards).
• Function in a headless server environment with virtual display (Xvfb/Xorg).

Packaging

Games must be packaged as tar.gz archives following our packaging specification. See Adding Games for detailed instructions.

Storage Server

You need a server to host your game files for distribution to PlayRen's game servers. You can either:

• Use PlayRen's storage provider software (we provide the setup script), or
• Host files on your own infrastructure with a compatible API.

Metadata

Every game must include complete metadata. See Game Metadata for the required fields.

Financial Requirements

Partnership Fee

There is no upfront fee to become a partner. Revenue share terms are agreed upon during onboarding.

Stripe Account

Partners receive payouts via Stripe Connect. You'll need to set up a Stripe account if you don't have one.

Tax Information

You must provide valid tax information (W-9 for US entities, W-8BEN for international) for revenue reporting.

Security Requirements

API Key Management

Partner API keys must be kept secure. Do not embed them in client-side code or public repositories. If a key is compromised, rotate it immediately through the partner dashboard.

Secure File Transfer

Game uploads must be performed over HTTPS. Our storage API enforces TLS for all transfers.

Application Process

1. Visit the Partners page and click Apply to Become a Partner.
2. Fill out the application form with your business details, catalog size, and game engine information.
3. Our team reviews applications within 5-10 business days.
4. Once approved, you'll receive onboarding instructions and API credentials via email.

Next Steps

• Partner Overview — Understand the partner model.
• Adding Games — Package and upload your games.
• Game Metadata — Required metadata fields for each game.