Nintendo claiming ownership on Youtube videos featuring their product

[Guild McCommunist]

Ah, the wonderful world of Youtube. For many it has provided one of the most innovative new careers in modern history, being able to do your own pet project, such as a Let's Play series, and be able to get paid for it. This is thanks to Google's AdSense, a program which gives Youtubers money for the ads on their videos. For many, this makes up their living, especially the frequent Let's Play series by many Youtubers. Now, however, it seems avoiding to play Nintendo games for Youtube is a safe bet, as Nintendo is beginning to crack down and claim ownership on videos featuring their games.

By claiming ownership, videos featuring their games get all their ad money sent to Nintendo instead of the creator. An example is Youtuber Zack Scott, who is currently doing a Let's Play of Nintendo's recently released Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. This report is also backed by Mike Bithel, creator of indie game Thomas Was Alone and the hugely popular series of Youtube channels Machinima.

In response, Nintendo issued the following statement:

"As part of our on-going push to ensure Nintendo content is shared across social media channels in an appropriate and safe way, we became a YouTube partner and as such in February 2013 we registered our copyright content in the YouTube database. For most fan videos this will not result in any changes, however, for those videos featuring Nintendo-owned content, such as images or audio of a certain length, adverts will now appear at the beginning, next to or at the end of the clips. We continually want our fans to enjoy sharing Nintendo content on YouTube, and that is why, unlike other entertainment companies, we have chosen not to block people using our intellectual property."

A reminder that content ID matches aren't copyright infringement charges, but are still pretty bad. If a video is correctly content ID'd, that means that the owner (Nintendo in this case) controls a lot of aspects of the video, such as when ads play, what countries the video can be shown in, even if it can be shown at all. All the ad revenue from that video goes to the owner as well.

So if you're a LP'er or even use Nintendo game footage, images, or audio for your Youtube videos, it might be best to avoid them for now.

Source

 

[The Catboy]

Nintendo, this isn't making games, stop dicking around and make games!

 

[Eerpow]

As part of our on-going push to ensure Nintendo content is shared across social media channels in an appropriate and safe way, we became a YouTube partner and as such in February 2013 we registered our copyright content in the YouTube database. For most fan videos this will not result in any changes, however, for those videos featuring Nintendo-owned content, such as images or audio of a certain length, adverts will now appear at the beginning, next to or at the end of the clips. We continually want our fans to enjoy sharing Nintendo content on YouTube, and that is why, unlike other entertainment companies, we have chosen not to block people using our intellectual property.

Not bad news, might be the opposite even. Unlike companies like Sega, Nintendo won't be taking down Youtube videos containing music, footage or any other copyrighted content. What's different now is that they'll replace the YT ad to a Nintendo related one instead. What's so bad about that?
People posting Nintendo property on Youtube don't have to worry as it's not a gray area anymore.

 

[Foxi4]

...pretty dingle-dang stupid if you ask me. I get it that Nintendo made the content that's being filmed, but what about all the editing, and in case of Game Grumps and the likes, the performance of the LP'er himself/herself? That's his/her input, he/she should get a cut for it.

Looks like Nintendo is really desperate not to post a loss this year despite the Wii U blunder.

//MasterTrole2013

 

[WiiUBricker]

This is actually a positive thing for users.

 

[Harsky]

This is something I've been wondering about. LPers have always been walking in a grey area where they'll play through an entire game and basically show off the ending. I know showing a playthrough of a game is not the same as showing a movie but with story based games, I always wonder what developers/publishers think.

 

[Foxi4]

This is actually a positive thing for users.

> Users could upload LP's they had to film, edit and generally spend time creating and get some cash for their work.
> Now users can upload the same LP's to put money in Nintendo's pocket.

Yeah, that's good news indeed.

I get it that people are glad they don't just demand the removal of given content, but that still doesn't mean it's all eh-o-kay, dasies and roses. Those videos don't make themselves.

 

[WiiUBricker]

> Users could upload LP's they had to film, edit and generally spend time creating and get some cash for their work.
> Now users can upload the same LP's to put money in Nintendo's pocket.

Yeah, that's good news indeed.

It is. Nintendo could just take all copyrighted content down. Instead Nintendo allows users to use their copyrighted content in exchange of giving them their revenue. People who wants to make money with copyrighted youtube videos should get a real job.

 

[Ryupower]

many LPer do LPs as a job

so one thing is
that LPer will not get ad revenue for the Nintendo LPs anymore, but Nintendo will get it

I think is only for video over 10min long as well

 

[Rydian]

What's different now is that they'll replace the YT ad to a Nintendo related one instead. What's so bad about that?

No, the ads don't change, but the ad money goes to Nintendo, NOT to the people who uploaded the video. Like Guild stated, lots of people that do LPs (Pewdie, etc.) literally make their living (that is, the money they use to buy the food they eat and pay their rent) from the ads on Youtube.

But they won't be getting it from videos Nintendo does a claim on. The videos stay up, but Youtube sends the money to Nintendo, not the Youtube account's holder.

 

[Foxi4]

It is. Nintendo could just take all copyrighted content down. Instead Nintendo allows users to use their copyrighted content in exchange of giving them their revenue. People who wants to make money with copyrighted youtube videos should get a real job.

The copyrighted content is their game, not a video recording of their game being played, which is a fraction of the whole content. That's like saying I should give revenue to Coca-Cola if I put a mentos in a coke for kicks and upload a video of the coke-fountain on Youtube.

 

[Eerpow]

> Users could upload LP's they had to film, edit and generally spend time creating and get some cash for their work.
> Now users can upload the same LP's to put money in Nintendo's pocket.

Yeah, that's good news indeed.

I get it that people are glad they don't just demand the removal of given content, but that still doesn't mean it's all eh-o-kay, dasies and roses. Those videos don't make themselves.

It only becomes a bad thing if they start doing it with people who edit their content enough, like reviews or funny videos. The only cases where they should take actions is when the user is blatantly ripping content.
Companies almost always were after those who took content directly, not people who makes reviews or fan videos.

 

[WiiUBricker]

The copyrighted content is their game, not a video recording of their game being played, which is a fraction of the whole content. That's like saying I should give revenue to Coca-Cola if I put a mentos in a coke for kicks and upload a video of the coke-fountain on Youtube.

You paid for the game to be able to play it and keep in your possession. You didn't pay for a sharing license. All images, music in a game are copyrighted and remain property of Nintendo, whether you bought the game or not.

 

[Joe88]

I will be awaiting the take down notices on a few of my videos I guess

 

[Gahars]

You'd think Nintendo, of all companies, would be able to learn from Sega's mistakes.

Guess not.

 

[RedCoreZero]

Eh, at least they won't take it down?

 

[gifi4]

This is honestly a dick move by the big N. I somewhat heard about this earlier. I'm watching a let's play of Lego City Undercover (As I don't have nor by the looks of how well the console is holding up, want to own anytime soon) and the person was actually talking about it right before a cut-scene and ended up not finishing up. I'm sure it'll be in the next episode but that's little under 24 hours away =/

 

[WiiUBricker]

Eh, at least they won't take it down?

Yes, that's their point.

 

[Foxi4]

You paid for the game to be able to play it and keep in your possession. You didn't pay for a sharing license. All images, music in a game are copyrighted and remain property of Nintendo, whether you bought the game or not.

Hold your horses, pardner. That may very well be, which is why I would not be againts a 50/50 split, however the LP'ers input, that being the script for a given episode, all the puns, the comedy, the editing, the effects, everything people do to make LP's enjoyable are not without merit. It's not okay to make money of Nintendo's IP's without their express permission, but it's equally not okay for Nintendo to make money off an LP'ers work.

 

[Harsky]

You'd think Nintendo, of all companies, would be able to learn from Sega's mistakes.

Guess not.

But didn't Sega actually request removal of the videos? The only difference in this case is Nintendo allowing the videos to stay up but they're just pocketing the profits from ads displayed on the LPers video.