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[GustyGardens]

When Nintendo announced that they would be creating a program where-in YouTubers that upload Nintendo content would be able to make money people were excited, but when reality hit and The Big N gave us the details of their program people were less excited and more, a lot more, upset. There were quite a few threads about famous YouTube personalities being angry despite most of them not really being known for streaming Nintendo content, but that's another story.

Here we are, 2 months later, and I'm curious as to how many of you have noticed a difference in your YouTube content. Has Nintendo's YouTube Creator Program really put a damper, like everyone thought it would, on people's uploading of Nintendo content?

Personally, I follow a few channels and neither of them have changed. A couple of them are monetized multi-platform channels that feature a lot of Nintendo games.

And then there's the other side of the coin. Some developers, like Devolver Digital, have urged people to upload content from their games. Has their stance affected their sales at all?

 

[Blues1990]

It's just a whole big mess, if you ask me. I would like to think it would get better, but until Nintendo relaxes on their stance, it's understandable that most gaming-related channels are being cautious to not step on Nintendo's toes.

 

[DigtialT]

None of the channels I follow posted really any Nintendo videos before, so I cant say if the program actually affected anything. The only one would be Angry Joe recently, and he has basically said he will not be releasing more Nintendo videos.

 

[TomShoe]

Nothing changed because channels were scared of giving up their precious viewer money. Anyone who had a largely Nintendo-based channel had nearly no choice because the risk of boycotting Ninty was too great. No unified voice = No change

It's a shame but Nintendo strong-armed them into it. The power of the dollar wins again.

 

[KTS2448]

The biggest issue with it is simply the program doesnt even offer people cash for the most recent/popular nintendo games such as Mario party 10 and Super Smash bros Wiiu. People dont give a rats ass about stuff thats been out for over a year and isnt mario kart 8 or SSBWiiu

 

[Velcro Fly]

It seems like it's a disaster, both the response from people who do not like it and Nintendo being overrun with channels/videos and it taking way longer than they thought it would.

 

[213372bu]

Well Youtube personalities were told to night be malicious to each other when they were playing 3D world, so there is that.

 

[Spineker]

I would love to get the opinions of the likes of Sterling, Moriarty and Boogie on this subject, if they're out there somewhere

 

[udivision]

I would love to get the opinions of the likes of Sterling, Moriarty and Boogie on this subject, if they're out there somewhere

Sterling had a video on it... dunno if his opinion has changed though.

 

[alr1ght]

It has clearly helped turn around the Wii U.

 

[Shining Sunshine]

Is there a list of big youtubers that boycott Nintendo for it?

I forgot a name, but I remember a big one had done it right away. Was it Sterling or TB?

 

[DigtialT]

But if a channel didn't post Nintendo content before, they arn't gonna start now

 

[tkscz]

It's been weird from the channels I follow. Half of them have Nintendo content, but don't follow Nintendo's agreement, so I'm guessing they don't monetize those videos? Like, VineSauce is nothing but Nintendo content, but most of their money comes from streaming, which Nintendo seems to give less of a damn about. However, SonOfaGlitch usually glitches Nintendo games and they monetize from it. I honestly don't think Nintendo notices a lot channels. Just the larger ones like AngryJoe and Jim Sterling

Spoiler

son

Is there a list of big youtubers that boycott Nintendo for it?

I forgot a name, but I remember a big one had done it right away. Was it Sterling or TB?

AngryJoe was the first as that' who Nintendo struck first when he was finally gifted a WiiU.

 

[Scott667]

I'd be interested to hear the perspective from people who have signed up (I know initially there were a lot of problems, but I haven't heard anything in over a month so I don't know if Nintendo has fixed whatever launch issues there were). The only person on youtube that I can think off who regularly does Nintendo stuff is Chuggaaconroy, but he doesn't seem to be signed up with it at all.

As a side note, I think the reason why there aren't as many Nintendo games on youtube has less to do with their licensing scheme and more to do with how there games aren't as appealing as their competition. If they were making games that could draw in as many youtube/twitch hits as minecraft and LoL then they could probably get away with setting up their "Creators Program", but considering that their games aren't such huge hitters any more, the NCP seems like it is just a hassle in producing videos that aren't going to get as many views anyway.

 

[ZeroGravity]

But if a channel didn't post Nintendo content before, they arn't gonna start now

They were never going to start. People who don't like Nintendo really don't like Nintendo. This whole thing really changed nothing.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

I don't really know what its effect has been. All I know is that the gents and ladies I watch didn't do Nintendo before the program and still don't.

 

[Novel Mike]

I'd be interested to hear the perspective from people who have signed up (I know initially there were a lot of problems, but I haven't heard anything in over a month so I don't know if Nintendo has fixed whatever launch issues there were). The only person on youtube that I can think off who regularly does Nintendo stuff is Chuggaaconroy, but he doesn't seem to be signed up with it at all.

As a side note, I think the reason why there aren't as many Nintendo games on youtube has less to do with their licensing scheme and more to do with how there games aren't as appealing as their competition. If they were making games that could draw in as many youtube/twitch hits as minecraft and LoL then they could probably get away with setting up their "Creators Program", but considering that their games aren't such huge hitters any more, the NCP seems like it is just a hassle in producing videos that aren't going to get as many views anyway.

See I disagree I think a lot of people are just seeing how badly Nintendo goes after anyone who even attempts to post a lets play and just decides its not worth it. Nintendo of all companies should be a champion of the fans and of the people, they exist now because of us and the backwards way they treat youtubers is just doing them more harm then good.

 

[Dram]

So this just deals with games made by Nintendo themselves? What about games like Bayonetta 2?

 

[qko]

I'd be interested to hear the perspective from people who have signed up (I know initially there were a lot of problems, but I haven't heard anything in over a month so I don't know if Nintendo has fixed whatever launch issues there were). The only person on youtube that I can think off who regularly does Nintendo stuff is Chuggaaconroy, but he doesn't seem to be signed up with it at all.

As a side note, I think the reason why there aren't as many Nintendo games on youtube has less to do with their licensing scheme and more to do with how there games aren't as appealing as their competition. If they were making games that could draw in as many youtube/twitch hits as minecraft and LoL then they could probably get away with setting up their "Creators Program", but considering that their games aren't such huge hitters any more, the NCP seems like it is just a hassle in producing videos that aren't going to get as many views anyway.

Never streamed before myself, signed up for the NCP when announced and my channel took a couple of weeks to get approved. Videos would take about a week to approve for monitization when they were first starting. I uploaded a video a week ago and got the video approved in 2 days. So the turnaround time has gotten better. I've racked up about $2 in earnings, which probably means like $1.40 for me whenever they pay out.

I mostly am trying to stream old as hell crap anyway so I'm not expecting to quit my day job. Pretty much point my old iPhone at the game pad while I play quietly. Does suck that their white list is limited and would like them to include more games (NES punch-out, SNES DKC, new WiiU titles).

 

[Armadilo]

If you think about it the GameXplains never lost Revenue and their mostly Nintendo channels but they were never bothered because they already had a deal with Nintendo but everyone else was left with nothing especially the small channels and now this is their only option so to sum it up, like Nintendo they are slowly but surely moving into the 21st century slowlyyyyyyyyy........... .

 

[LX_Theo]

Personally, I follow a few channels and neither of them have changed. A couple of them are monetized multi-platform channels that feature a lot of Nintendo games.

Well, has the program actually targeted their videos at all?

No effect will be seen unless their program effects someone and forces their hand.

 

[NoFaceNico]

I don't watch let's plays. But I recently subscribed to A+Start and he does a lot of Nintendo stuff. None of the channels I follow have covered anything Nintendo but I don't really follow anyone who made that their main thing. On my own channel I've never covered a Nintendo franchise and I'm definitely not going to start now.

I wish there was an alternative to YouTube for gaming. Not just because the Nintendo stuff but because of YouTube's own copyright policies.

If someone could make an alternative that would fight for the content creators instead of eating out of Nintendo's hand, and get a few big channels on board, they could really become something big. But that would take an established company, something like yahoo... or Twitch...??

 

[biglittleps]

Nintendo is so desperate for money as they can't compete with Home consoles and seeing big decline in Handheld sales. So they are trying quick cash grabs with Amiboo, looking at ways to get even more cash like this Youtube channels revenue and Mobile games license. I don't see their NX platform selling like 3DS and i expect big decline there also. Their future lies in mobile games using their IP's(or 3rd party developer) and any other casual attempts like QOL etc., stuff but not completely in Home/Handheld hardware and software.

 

[Nanashrew]

Nintendo is so desperate for money as they can't compete with Home consoles and seeing big decline in Handheld sales. So they are trying quick cash grabs with Amiboo, looking at ways to get even more cash like this Youtube channels revenue and Mobile games license. I don't see their NX platform selling like 3DS and i expect big decline there also. Their future lies in mobile games using their IP's(or 3rd party developer) and any other casual attempts like QOL etc., stuff but not completely in Home/Handheld hardware and software.

They'll essentially use the money they get from phones and their QoL to continue making hardware and software for their dedicated hardware. They've been back in black for awhile, long before they even started doing any of this. No debts to pay. Never really have had debts to pay even when they've lost money.

 

[Shining Sunshine]

AngryJoe was the first as that' who Nintendo struck first when he was finally gifted a WiiU.

Nah, I was pretty sure someone made a video when the program was announced saying it was stupid and they won't participate in it.

Yah I was thinking about TB. He says "don't participate in this program", so that definitely means he isn't doing it either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-67CvWTQ0I&t=9m30s

 

[Scum]

Nintendo is so desperate for money as they can't compete with Home consoles and seeing big decline in Handheld sales. So they are trying quick cash grabs with Amiboo, looking at ways to get even more cash like this Youtube channels revenue and Mobile games license. I don't see their NX platform selling like 3DS and i expect big decline there also. Their future lies in mobile games using their IP's(or 3rd party developer) and any other casual attempts like QOL etc., stuff but not completely in Home/Handheld hardware and software.

¬_¬

 

[NoFaceNico]

They'll essentially use the money they get from phones and their QoL to continue making hardware and software for their dedicated hardware. They've been back in black for awhile, long before they even started doing any of this. No debts to pay. Never really have had debts to pay even when they've lost money.

I dunno... I agree with analysts who say that Nintendo will turn a profit on mobile games, but I think they OVERestimate their expected profits and UNDERestimate how hard it is to make it in the mobile scene.

Yes, Nintendo is a big, established company. But consider this- Rovio, King, PopCap, all of these companies have made one big hit on the mobile scene and all can tell you that it is HARD to make a follow up that's not a spin off of their mega-hit. None of them have been successful in making another original IP.

Sega has their games on the mobile scene and I don't hear that they're a mega-hit. So branding doesn't take you all the way. You can say the same for Square-Enix games, some of which have had extremely bad critical reception.

I'm not joking, I can't imagine Nintendo making a mobile game that doesn't look like Hotel Mario.

Sorry, I know this is steering us off topic, but I had to speak my mind.

 

[Steroyd]

But if a channel didn't post Nintendo content before, they arn't gonna start now

Well yeah, of course, Nintendo is putting off youtuber's from covering their content and spreading the word, Angry Joe was constantly asked by his fans why he didn't do Nintendo, he finally does Nintendo has more fun with it "than his Xbox One and Playstation combined" and it ends up not being worth the time and effort putting out one of his reviews because he feels Nintendo is going to nuke it.

 

[LuigiBlood]

You would be surprised sometimes with this Creator Program because someone I know for a while has put so much stuff that aren't in Nintendo's white list and yet they approve:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCavsJ-fwL2bUJiAfuNDKOw

Many things are Japan-only and yet they're approved. So is it REALLY a problem? Despite the fact that I think Nintendo should just let it go but whatever.
Oh and even ROM hacks got approved.

 

[ZackieChan]

It's just a whole big mess, if you ask me. I would like to think it would get better, but until Nintendo relaxes on their stance, it's understandable that most gaming-related channels are being cautious to not step on Nintendo's toes.

Why is it a mess? We're two months in, so I'm as curious as the OP why you think it is a mess.

It seems like it's a disaster, both the response from people who do not like it and Nintendo being overrun with channels/videos and it taking way longer than they thought it would.

Care to post some of these responses? I mean ones that have come out post-launch, not this knee-jerk reactions from the beginning.

It does suck that it seems to be taking too much time to approve. However, it also seems like that is improving.

 

[Exile20]

It has clearly helped turn around the Wii U.

What the fuck does this have to do with anything? People just want to take jabs at the Wii U for no reason?

 

[Arrage]

What the fuck does this have to do with anything? People just want to take jabs at the Wii U for no reason?

The reason is that their games are not being reviewed/covered/played as much as others. In the internet community where freaking Goat Simulator was a big hit because of youtube gamers, Nintendo games would simply attract much bigger audiences, especially kids/teenagers who watch those videos.

Its a dreadful program and it doesn't nothing good for the video creators. It harms both them and Nintendo. It doesn't promote the video, it takes a greater share if you do not dedicate your entire channel to Nintendo. It doesn't address the problem of what happens if you want to upload a mixed video (Nintendo and other games).

 

[Visualante2]

What the fuck does this have to do with anything? People just want to take jabs at the Wii U for no reason?

Everything Nintendo does should be doing should be about making the Wii U a success. Other platform holders see social media as a platform to further their business, they embrace it. Nintendo sees things differently, and it is potentially going to hurt them for a quick buck.

 

[Omikaru]

I think if someone is providing a review/commentary on Nintendo games using clips as examples (a good example would be something like Sarkeesian's videos, where she is providing criticism and using clips/images as examples), Nintendo shouldn't even get a cut. Not a fucking penny. Considering a lot of really good criticism is provided in video form these days, it's rather worrying if Nintendo's policy is going to affect that (though I don't know if it does or not).

I think if someone is just uploading a playthrough, or FMVs or whatever, then I guess that's at Nintendo's discretion whether they wish to monetise that on YouTube or not. That said, I'd consider the amount of negative buzz such a move is going to generate before I do it. I'd also consider how the landscape has changed, and how many LPers provide free marketing to games, and whether they want to disincentivise them into not making videos of Nintendo products.

Nintendo obviously hasn't thought about any of this (quelle surprise) until they decided to wholesale claim money from YouTubers, and then had to cobble together something after the backlash.

Does the Nintendo YT Creator's Program/how Google flags Nintendo videos make a distinction between legitimate fair use criticism and someone just dumping an extended video with no commentary on the web? Because if it doesn't, and people uploading their critical commentaries to YT have to run cap in hand to Nintendo because of a hamfisted policy, I'm not going to be impressed.

As for the actual implementation of it, I took a quick look at it and it seems a bit messy. I can understand why streamers/LPers are pissed off on that front.

 

[Holundrian]

It's just another thing on top the pile that makes me feel that Nintendo is so out of touch.
I appreciate them doing their own thing but I wish they were aware about the market as a whole. You want to make a console with a gimmick you believe that's fine, you don't want to join 2006 and have a damn global easy to use account system? You know that's not fine at all. You don't have to buck every trend because some of them are actually good.

Same here you want some control over that space don't be dicks and compromise. There surely has to be a way that both sides can come out somewhat happy.

 

[Regurgitated]

Nothing changed because channels were scared of giving up their precious viewer money.

Precious viewer money? It's their income and way of making a living.

 

[Orniletter]

What the fuck does this have to do with anything? People just want to take jabs at the Wii U for no reason?

Did you see Biglitteps' wonderful post ?

Those threads are like bonfires for people to spew whatever unrelated anti-Nintendo crap they want.

 

[Bulbasaur]

Nerds should pay royalties. Props to Nintendo for calling them out.

 

[Visualante2]

If you think back to the Wii Nintendo was very much focused on the mum blogging sphere. They were creating their own opportunities, engaging with communities. Now they just want to control criticism, profiteer.

 

[Hari Seldon]

I didn't even know mario party 10 was a game that was released until the Angry Joe controversy. Yeah Nintendo is leaving a ton of money on the table because of this.

Does this apply to 3rd parties? I wouldn't even release a game on a Nintendo platform if I couldn't count on word of mouth let's play buzz.

 

[Raide]

I don't think it has made the big negative impact that many thought it would do but it is hardly seen a positive thing for Nintendo. Again, they are tainted with backwards thinking that shows more and more people that they have no real idea what they are doing.

 

[axisofweevils]

It has clearly helped turn around the Wii U.

Yep, and Sony's friendly YT policy really helped turn around the Vita...
It's almost like there's other factors at play.

 

[alr1ght]

Yep, and Sony's friendly YT policy really helped turn around the Vita...
It's almost like there's other factors at play.

I would argue that having no way to capture Vita videos hurt its viability.

This policy of Nintendo's does nothing to help.

 

[catmario]

I would rather say doing nothing is better than this piece of junky thing.
And ban all video with monetize like old times is more better than today's controversies by this program.

 

[Greenzxy]

Anyone who had a largely Nintendo-based channel had nearly no choice because the risk of boycotting Ninty was too great. No unified voice = No change

Except this isn't true in the slightest, ask any Nintendo based channel, probably only 1% of them has signed up for the program.

 

[Briarios]

It seems to me short-sighted to worry about the income of a video or two if you have a channel. Really, you're looking to increase the overall viewership to increase views of all your videos.

If you lose the revenue stream on, say, 5 Nintendo videos versus the 50 you put out a year -- but you gain thousands of viewers because they came due to those Nintendo videos and subscribed, isn't that better than just flat out deciding to do no videos from the company? Either you're shooting yourself in the foot -- or when a huge game comes along that everyone wants to see you have to miss it or look like a hypocrite.

 

[PotionBleue]

My main issue with the program is that while they've extended it to several American countries in March (Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Chile, Peru, Argentina), it's still not available in any European country.

 

[Myggen]

As I've said before, my main concern with the program is that it demands that every video (of channels that are not part of the program, which will be a vast majority) be submitted to Nintendo for approval before you can monetize it, and that seems draconian. If Nintendo had demanded something like that of games journalists there would've been an outrage since it goes against every definition of ethical rules for journalists, and I hope as many Youtubers as possible boycott Nintendo because of it. Even though I doubt it'll happen either way, I don't want this to become a trend and it strikes me as another example of Nintendo being way too paranoid when it comes to "protecting their IPs".

As for OPs question, I think it's still too soon to say anything either way.

 

[Starwolf_UK]

It is good to hear people are getting videos approved and that channel uploading non-white listed as a test is also interesting.

However, SonOfaGlitch usually glitches Nintendo games and they monetize from it.

I think educational uses (which a glitch tutorial can count as) also come under fair use. There is also another thing; they monetize but how do you know who gets the money? Is Youtube even transparent here?

 

[danm999]

As I've said before, my main concern with the program is that it demands that every video (of channels that are not part of the program, which will be a vast majority) be submitted to Nintendo for approval before you can monetize it, and that seems draconian. If Nintendo had demanded something like that of games journalists there would've been an outrage since it goes against every definition of ethical rules for journalists, and I hope as many Youtubers as possible boycott Nintendo because of it. Even though I doubt it'll happen either way, I don't want this to become a trend and it strikes me as another example of Nintendo being way too paranoid when it comes to "protecting their IPs".

As for OPs question, I think it's still too soon to say anything either way.

Gotta agree with Myggen here.

Putting aside feelings on the role of YouTubers and how Fair Use works, the idea that Nintendo has some sort of editorial approval over affiliated channels featuring their content is a really fucked up situation.