Nintendo has started claiming ad revenue on user-created Youtube videos featuring its
games, according to reports from the Youtube users themselves.
Nintendo does not want to block these videos from appearing on Youtube (as many film and
music publishers have), but it does want to place ads at the beginning and the end of
videos featuring Nintendo games, such as Let's Plays, with that revenue going to Nintendo
as opposed to the creator.
Youtube channel owner Zack Scott posted his thoughts on Nintendo's demands, saying: "I
think filing claims against LPers is backwards.
"Video games aren't like movies or TV.
Each play-through is a unique audiovisual experience.
When I see a film that someone else is also watching, I don't need to see it again.
When I see a game that someone else is playing, I want to play that game for myself!
Sure, there may be some people who watch games rather than play them, but are those people
even gamers?"
Nintendo has issued the following statement to GameFront on the matter: "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."
It's interesting that Nintendo chose to claim all ad revenue on these videos instead of
adopt a revenue sharing model with the creators.
Nintendo's right to protect its copyright is enshrined both in law and in Youtube's
copyright guidelines, which state that just because you purchase something, it doesn't
mean that you have the right to upload it and share with others.
But this does set a difficult precedent for Youtubers who have grown accustomed to sharing
their Let's Play videos with the world and, in some cases, making money off of them.
These content creators may be less likely to feature Nintendo games going forward.
If other publishers were to follow suit, the Let's Play video phenomenon could be crippled.
Sony is, of course, encouraging people to share gameplay videos with its upcoming PlayStation
4.
So far, the company hasn't mentioned anything about monetizing those videos with ads.
We'll continue following this story here at IGN.