230°

Nintendo will now split Youtube advertising revenue with video makers

Last year Nintendo began filing copyright claims on several Youtube Let’s Play Channels and other videos containing footage of their games. The content wasn’t taken down but instead gave ad revenue to Nintendo rather than the video creator. There were reports later this was repealed but Nintendo and YouTube creators went dark on the issue and the issue was never really solved.

XiSasukeUchiha3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

Ok, better Nintendo, but their many steps they have to take before becoming complete!

gedden73614d ago ShowReplies(3)
iamnsuperman3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

This is an odd step sidewards than forwards. Nintendo really needs the support of the youtube content makers. Making it free and reaching out to these people is important.

Treat these people right, they will be more favourable towards your products

Neonridr3614d ago

half is better than nothing I guess. But I agree with you.

Gazondaily3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

Yeah I'd rather be able to keep half than nothing to be honest. 50% of something is a lot more than 100% of nothing.

AnotherProGamer3614d ago

to content creators its still a huge slap in the face, they would rather play a game that would give them 100%

xX-StolenSoul-Xx3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

So they'll take half? I make youtube videos for fun but I'm not going to lie when I say it's good to make a little money from it. Youtube already takes 50% of my Earnings, then Maker Studios takes away 40% of the remaining and I'm already stuck with %60. I would love to do more nintendo content but they're really stuck in the past, this will do more good than harm. THIS could have helped your wii u.

3-4-53614d ago

Content creators use WHAT CONTENT ?

Who OWNs that Content ?

* Nintendo pays people to create games with their own money, and other people TAKE that footage and use it you make money for themselves.

* Not sure what the big deal is.

Nintendo deserves some kind of cut.

YOUR RELIANT upon THEIR content right ?

Or am I getting this wrong? Did I miss something here?

Sly-Lupin3614d ago

Let's be fair: their are three types of content providers:

1. People who post all of the story cutscenes online--who therefore shouldn't be allowed to earn any profit.

2. Criticism--people who should never, under any circumstances, owe developers or publishers anything.

3. Let's Players--a fairly insipid lot, in my opinion, but they represent the majority that Nintendo is reactingmto. Sharing half of their profits is more than fair.

So, yeah, Nintendo is still failing to properly deal with this ####. They need to learn how to discriminate.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3614d ago
MasterCornholio3614d ago

Makes complete sense what you said.

majiebeast3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

So Nintendo wants a slice of the pie from people that advertise their games for free? Sound more like they want to control the Youtubers if anything.

Sounds like greed to me, unless Nintendo only takes 10-20% but i doubt that very much.

iamnsuperman3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

Well actually making it free means more control for Nintendo than if they start charging/taking revenue money. Charging runs into the issue of youtubers not willing to take part (which is why this is still a huge misstep by Nintendo). It would be different if Nintendo paid the youtubers (that would the the ultimate control)

If Nintendo thought logically about this they would get rid of the fee (free advertising) and then reach out to those who are more positive and give them more exclusive content (first looks....). It isn't ethical but nor is the media in general.

Baccra173614d ago

No you're right, it's greed. Greed mixed with desperation and a dash of clueless.

randomass1713614d ago

Doesn't that go both ways? I mean we're talking about people basically making money off of content they didn't create. Unless you only count their voice in the video. Taking a portion of revenue as oppose to all of it or just removing the video seems pretty fair to me.

Dubaman3614d ago

"So Nintendo wants a slice of the pie from people that advertise their games for free? Sound more like they want to control the Youtubers if anything."

Any youtuber that make videos about video games has to buy a license from the content creator, in this case Nintendo, to be able to display it on a public platform and profit from it. Which is why channels made up of multiple Youtubers exist, i.e. Machinima, to cut down on licensing costs.
In the case of Nintendo though i don't know if that licensing fee has been waived in favour of just splitting the profits. The better the video is the more views it gets, the money it earns, the more profit it makes. Using that system could mean Nintendo want youtubers to make better videos and push their products. They had MEGA64 announce their E3 plans and Achievement Hunter have restarted their Nintendo videos with MK8.
No one has any idea whats going on really except those Youtubers involved with Nintendo. Wait and see. Also, if you think this is greed then you need understand this is a business and everyone is trying to make money here.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3614d ago
wonderfulmonkeyman3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

I'd say splitting the take is actually quite a big step forward, considering, by law, they don't have to split a single bill if they decide not to, and could just do the advertisements themselves if that made the let's players ignore them.(but let's be real; there's always going to be at least a few channels that would do let's plays of their games regardless of monetization. Not everyone cares more about money than about the joy of sharing the games they love.)

All things considered, this is generous of them.

Also , a point that must be made; Nintendo stopped making content claims against let's players quite a few months ago.
Yet despite this, none of them are helping Nintendo's games get more advertisement, which is proven by the fact that the wii u's sales are still low.

Given this evidence to the contrary of popular opinion, I have to question just how effective/valuable the let's players actually are for Nintendo.

Baccra173614d ago

Yeah but than Nin would be using common sense, and Nin hates common sense.

ChickeyCantor3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

It IS free, they just feel ripped off because the youtuber is making money off of THEIR franchises.

Not that I agree with Nintendo, but it's understandable.

Godmars2903614d ago

More like they're just establishing condition with which they'll pull videos, if they take this outside the purview of let's plays.

I bet that some reviews are going to be claimed under this. That or the affiliate program will try to apply to revenue from non Nintendo videos.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3614d ago
LightofDarkness3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

YouTube content creators will make or break you these days. Nintendo have virtually ZERO representation on YouTube now, and look who's currently floundering badly can can't seem to grasp why? Yeah. Whereas the company that has utterly embraced YouTube content creators is riding higher than ever before currently. There is no disputing the impact that attention from the likes of PewDiePie, Markiplier, TotalBiscuit, Game Grumps etc. can have on your success or failure. Sony realized this early on, while Nintendo ostracised and punished them for giving them what amounts to FREE MARKETING. It's no wonder the Wii U is currently languishing in last place when it has virtually no representation on YouTube.

And honestly, this is not the right step to take. Why would they waste time making content about your games when they can make twice as much making a video about someone else's games? Get your hands out of their pockets, Nintendo.

randomass1713614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

The people who generally watch Let's Plays are people who play games a lot and watch Let's Plays on a consistent basis. But Nintendo's audience has been the casual audience which we already established has fallen out of grace with the Wii/Wii U brand. Whether or not Nintendo has their hands in the pockets who basically put their voices over game content or not would never have had a huge impact on the Wii U's sales, which most people agree boils down to terrible marketing and a lack of a real market identity with a consistent stream of interesting game content, particularly in the first year.

Besides, I didn't generally see new Nintendo games being Let's Played even before Nintendo started monetizing (which they don't even really do anymore from what friends have told me). Mostly retro games. Being able to share revenue instead of losing all of it or even losing your videos and account is a much better alternative IMO. And besides, I don't think any revenue loss is going to prevent games like Mario Kart and Smash Bros. from being played and recorded by people.

LightofDarkness3614d ago

Actually, they had one direct affect: me. I bought a Wii U after watching a few episodes of Game Grumps where they played Nintendo Land. You are selling Nintendo's core audience incredibly short, they are by and large people who grew up playing Nintendo games, especially now. Casuals were a short-lived blip in the market, not Nintendo's "core" audience. They were only their audience from 2007-2009, which is a very small portion of a 30+ year history in the business.

Videogames are now the #1 topic on Youtube. There are far more people who watch Let's Plays than you'd care to admit. PewDiePie has over 27 million subscribers. They are by and large NOT hardcore gamers, but casual gamers. The amount of exposure he can give to games is huge, and if your assertion that casuals and Nintendo get along so well is true, then ignoring/alienating a free marketing machine like him is beyond foolish. Then there are countless others who trickle down and reach even further audiences.

As you said it "boils down to terrible marketing." This is absolutely a part of that. Having huge numbers of YouTubers informing casuals of what the Wii U is and how much fun is to be had with it would have been essential in preserving some of the post launch momentum, but Nintendo went ahead and told everyone to shut up about the Wii U on YouTube, or else. You can't honestly say that this did nothing to further harm the Wii U's sales.

thehobbyist3614d ago

Nintendo should get their hands out of our pockets? Try Google. You make less than 1/10th of what Google makes off of ad revenue (When you aren't partnered, even then it's still pretty bad). And people are living off of that.
The only thing Nintendo is doing is compensating. Notice that this is being changed the week of Mario Kart 8's release and shortly after Nintendo declares they are making money on hardware sales.
It's a reciprocal relationship. A two-way street. Nintendo's success and profit will give content creators success and profit. It's simple business.

randomass1713614d ago

"but Nintendo went ahead and told everyone to shut up about the Wii U on YouTube, or else. You can't honestly say that this did nothing to further harm the Wii U's sales."

Nintendo didn't tell anyone to shut up. Don't exaggerate. There's a difference between telling someone to shut up and telling someone not to make money off of content that isn't theirs. I know it's not really right, but the law is on Nintendo's side on this one as far as copyrights are concerned. And I didn't say it doesn't have an effect, I'm just saying it's not nearly as large as you make it out to be as the casual audience wouldn't give a care about something like YouTube ad revenue. Matter of fact, I'm convinced that most casual gamers aren't even aware of the situation.

Eamon3614d ago

Nintendo are acting draconian anyway by demanding people who put in the effort of playing, recording, commentary, editing and uploading to give a cut of the ad revenue.

The Let's Play videos already provide a huge amount of advertising for Nintendo's games. Arguably, a good portion of their sales are entirely due to these youtube videos.

wonderfulmonkeyman3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

I would believe you, if it weren't for the fact that Nintendo repealed the fee taking thing a while ago.
YouTubers have been able to do let's plays of Nintendo's games for quite a few months now without any claims against them, yet Nintendo's sales are not, and have not been, rising substantially.

thehobbyist3614d ago

Wii U had a big sales boost in April. 80% over last year and this year April had no games. So, you sure it hasn't been rising?

wonderfulmonkeyman3614d ago

Positive. Latest figures show that the wii u has not yet made a habit of breaking 100k per week.

LAWSON723614d ago

Well from what I have read on N4G a lot of people watch let's plays so they don't have to buy the game, specifically for story related reasons. So it is not just black and white, where Nintendo are only getting benefits that they just don't want to take advantage of.

randomass1713614d ago

Considering that Nintendo's primary target is families and children, I highly doubt YouTube videos have as nearly a significant impact as you think. Besides, it's not like they are outright removing videos or taking down accounts the way Viacom had a habit of doing.

Eamon3614d ago

The walkthrough/playthrough videos can sometimes get millions of views and a lot of these viewers are people who want to see more than just a 3-minute trailer to decide whether to buy a game or not.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3614d ago
Dunban673614d ago

Nintendo is being incredibly short sighted - as well as being. "Penny wise and pound foolish"

wonderfulmonkeyman3614d ago

How?
Let's players have been able to do claim free let's plays of Nintendo's games for months now, yet wii u sales aren't rising.
Despite that lack of effectiveness on the part of let's players, they're still going to allow the let's players to make some profit off of Nintendo's games.

So how is that short sighted?

Dunban673614d ago

Nintendo should be encouraging LP er s not discouraging them - It is among the best, most targeted advertising you can get -

If you want to see an effective and mutually bennificial LP situation on you tube look no farther than Minecraft ( another key game Nintendo should have on the Wii u and or 3DS by now ).

wonderfulmonkeyman3614d ago (Edited 3614d ago )

That still doesn't disprove my earlier point, though. They aren't doing anything to make it sell better.
Why should Nintendo give away all the profits to lpers when most of them aren't PROVING to have any big effect on wii u sales during most sales reports?
It rarely breaks 100k.

Dunban673614d ago

Can you PROVE any of the adds Nintendo creates and runs help sell thier products ( or any other company). No but they still spend billions advertising and getting product placement in movies etc-

A company could quantify thier presence on YouTube easier than running an add or paying or billboards because they have a ton of data readily available on you tube including views, subs and active comment sections

Nintendo keeps shooting itself in the foot over some of the simplest no brainer decisions that they keep getting wrong and it is clearly showing in their results

Show all comments (54)
80°

Nintendo's Massacre Of The 3DS And Wii U Is Finally Complete, Regrettably

Hanzala from eXputer: "The cruel hammer of Nintendo has fallen. Farewell, 3DS and Wii U, you surely brightened my life and many others; you won't be forgotten."

280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple1015d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref4d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde4d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander19724d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville4d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff21834d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos4d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4d ago
isarai5d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref4d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan4d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis0073d ago (Edited 3d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander19725d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

5d ago Replies(3)
Einhander19725d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

5d ago
4d ago
Zeref4d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde4d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander19724d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander19724d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier4d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto4d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff21834d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto4d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4d ago
Hofstaderman4d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts4d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts3d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic4d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

Show all comments (43)
90°

Nintendo's War Against Player-Made Content Will Hurt The Company In The End

Danish from eXputer: "Nintendo has historically gone against player-made content and emulation of its games. This has done much to harm the company's image."

XiNatsuDragnel11d ago

I agree nintendo hire some these folks to help in your games it'll help imo.

banger8810d ago

They need to stop announcing these mods and fan remakes until they're finished. Finish it, upload it, and then if Nintendo dmca's it tough shit. Once it's online, people can share it around, even if the original download gets taken down.

Jingsing10d ago

True, but most modders need constant admiration during the process to motivate them.

PRIMORDUS10d ago

Yup, once it's a torrent nothing can be done Nintendo is helpless at that point. But it would be wise if they just had a site on the dark web, it's also easy to use with Tor and no one will bother you.

mastershredder10d ago

This is all coming from the mouth of short-sighted fandom and grifting madness.
No.... it wont. There is a clear defined reason why they don't. This is nothing new. Make your own shi7 from your own original ideas especially if you are trying to capitalize of it it. Duh.

Yeah, hire people that have zero respect or understanding for an established process. Wow. Yep. Totally makes sense.

shinoff21839d ago

Those guys that made that sonic game got a gig from sega or something along those lines and that game was dope as hell. One of the best sonics as of late.