Request New Platform During Submission

📋 Summary

Allow users to request or suggest new platforms directly during the submission process when an appropriate platform does not already exist.

❗ Problem

Contributors currently face friction when submitting content for unsupported platforms:

• No way to request a new platform during submission

• Submissions are rejected due to missing platform support

• Contributors are unsure where to submit edge case content

• Platform requests require separate forum posts or workflows

This creates confusion and discourages contributions, especially for niche or emerging systems.

💡 Proposal

Integrate platform requests directly into the submission flow:

• When selecting a platform:

  • Provide an option like “Request New Platform”

• Allow users to submit:

  • Platform name

  • Basic description or context

• Queue platform requests for review

• Notify users when the platform is approved and available

• Optionally allow users to continue their submission once the platform is created

🧩 Use Cases

• A user submits content for a niche handheld or emulator based system

• A contributor encounters a missing platform and requests it immediately

• Platform requests are tied directly to real submission needs

• Users avoid needing to leave the flow to post on forums

📦 Benefits

• Reduces friction in the submission process

• Encourages contributions for new and niche platforms

• Streamlines platform request workflow

• Improves overall database coverage

⚠️ Considerations

• Requires moderation or approval workflow for new platforms

• Should prevent duplicate or low quality platform requests

• Platform creation may still need validation before being added

✅ Outcome

Allowing platform requests during submission creates a smoother, more intuitive workflow, helping expand database coverage while reducing contributor friction.