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[GC|Simon]

Hi GAF,

some German gaming media is reporting that they got a mail from Square Enix at the end of April. Square Enix prohibits to create and publish self-made screenshots and videos of any of their games.

First of all, I want to point out that I don't work for any of those sites who got a mail and I don't want to increase the traffic of those sites. That's why I'm not naming them.

However, back on topic. I think the job of gaming media is to inform potential customers about the quality of games. And such a prohibition may be preventing gaming media to do this job. We all know the difference between some bullshots and real screenshots. And Square Enix probably wants gaming media to publish bullshots only...?

 

[adamsapple]

They've been doing that for a while with their stupid closed media theaters too no ?

 

[Choppasmith]

Very odd, but then they have been getting increasingly picky about trailers on YT. I can understand if it was a hidden cam trailer not meant for public viewing, but they've taken down fan-made "mirrors" of videos from their website.

And haven't even mentioned their lame as hell "Closed Theater"

 

[Regulus Tera]

Very odd, but then they have been getting increasingly picky about trailers on YT. I can understand if it was a hidden cam trailer not meant for public viewing, but they've taken down fan-made "mirrors" of videos from their website.

Interestingly enough, the opening and ending videos of both Dissidia and FFXIII are auto-banned by Youtube.

 

[Wazzim]

Very odd, but then they have been getting increasingly picky about trailers on YT. I can understand if it was a hidden cam trailer not meant for public viewing, but they've taken down fan-made "mirrors" of videos from their website.

And haven't even mentioned their lame as hell "Closed Theater"

I still remember that they took down my video of the final jpn dissidia trailer (aired on jpn tv) in 1 minute after uploading lol

 

[markot]

Why would you want free publicity?

 

[lsslave]

they like alienating fans?

 

[ULTROS!]

Square Enix don't want fans anymore because they have too much fans?

 

[Nirolak]

You know, most companies quote off how many YouTube videos their fans make as a badge of honor.

The only reason I can imagine wanting to do this is if you're so ashamed of your games that you think watching user videos of them will actively make people not want to buy your titles.

If this is true, I consider this a very bad sign.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Probably to stop people like me from you-tubing games that I never plan on playing for the story.

 

[Corran Horn]

I was sad when some of my gameplay videos of FF13 were autobanned on youtube :/

 

[grandjedi6]

I remember when Square Enix tried to stop/embargo coverage of Valkyrie Profile 2's Japanese version and butted heads with Luke Smith over it.

 

[tino]

Probably to stop people like me from you-tubing games that I never plan on playing for the story.

Yeah. I watched the whole dsp ffxiii playthrough because I wanted to see the new FF game level design. I can't say it was better's ffxii's production value. And SE games don't have "story" to speak off any more.

 

[Regulus Tera]

Probably to stop people like me from you-tubing games that I never plan on playing for the story.

Revenant Wings was a lot more enjoyable this way.

I imagine I would liked FFXIII more by doing the same. Maybe.

 

[Brashnir]

Very odd, but then they have been getting increasingly picky about trailers on YT. I can understand if it was a hidden cam trailer not meant for public viewing, but they've taken down fan-made "mirrors" of videos from their website.

And haven't even mentioned their lame as hell "Closed Theater"

Ther game industry is so ass-backwards it's unbelievable. God forbid potential customers get access to view your fucking commercials.

Between things like this and restricting access to game demos, it's almost like the industry is actively trying to destroy itself.

 

[eggandI]

Probably to stop people like me from you-tubing games that I never plan on playing for the story.

This :lol

How else they gonna trick us into buying a game like FFXIII?

 

[Nirolak]

Probably to stop people like me from you-tubing games that I never plan on playing for the story.

Revenant Wings was a lot more enjoyable this way.

I imagine I would liked FFXIII more by doing the same. Maybe.

If there are so many people that would rather watch your game on YouTube than actually play it that it is significantly hurting the sales, that should be a gigantic warning sign that there's something seriously wrong with the games you're making.

 

[SnakeXs]

My thoughts, in ironic Youtube form:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU8-e-C4Uy0#t=2m0s

 

[snap0212]

I was sad when some of my gameplay videos of FF13 were autobanned on youtube :/

Were those videos part of a complete playthrough or just some random in-game videos?

 

[Erasus]

Good luck taking down all those AMVs and remixes.

Bullshit SE.

 

[Regulus Tera]

My thoughts, in ironic Youtube form:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU8-e-C4Uy0#t=2m0s

why is tidus fornicating a seagull

 

[JWong]

Just do what they do from Video Games Live.

Cosplay pictures.

 

[Corran Horn]

Were those videos part of a complete playthrough or just some random in-game videos?

Just a few videos of the beginning of the game. Like the first 3 hours or so

 

[Dresden]

I guess having fans is like having HD towns in their games.

 

[wRATH2x]

Square Enix are pretty fucking lame for doing this, and they've been doing it for years now.

God forbid we actually see footage, this is one of the reasons I didn't buy FFXIII. The development took too long and all they added were like 3 new seconds of footage every trailer, I can't believe FF fans actually went through all of that.

Squeenix really need to change it up.

 

[brotkasten]

 

[ULTROS!]

I think SE's ego about FF popularity has gone way over the top and in the process killing fan-made productions.

Strangely enough, DQ and KH are much more "loose" compared to FF.

 

[WinFonda]

They remove a ton of stuff off youtube. I don't know what to say other than they are a bunch of over-protective dicks.

 

[Kozak]

Its only for the best. AMVs are a sin on the gaming industry.

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

I bet they're trying to cover up their pitiful FFXIII port job. Remember the 'multiplatform' bullshots they tried feeding us before release? Xbox fans deserve better than that.

 

[Aselith]

Square just shot themselves in the foot.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about AMV's (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like Ebaum's World where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over on Youtube, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is AMV connoisseurs, after reading this news, are not going to want to watch anymore Square videos, nor will they buy anymore of their games. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Square has alienated an entire subculture with this move.

Square, publicly apologize and put the AMV's in your next game or you can kiss your business goodbye.

 

[APZonerunner]

Unlike the sites in the OP, I'm not afraid to come out and say that speaking as somebody who deals with SE on a regular basis, yes, they do. In fact, they protect their properties in ways that are far more aggressive than other companies. There's very strict guidelines for how renders, logos and the like are used.

It's weird, though, as we were allowed to screenshot and capture footage of FF13, but only after the embargo expired, but with Nier and other recent releases we've been banned outright. Most curious.

I don't necessarily think it's because of bullshots, as they did get burned badly with those FF13 360 shots and they were genuinely angry/upset that those were released - the people who released the didn't know they weren't real shots - but like all marketing, it's all about controlling perception, and that is what this is about. They might only show the best looking areas of a game rather than more ropey areas, for example, and they certainly don't want the ending of a story-driven game being put on YouTube a day after release, much like how movie studios don't want the endings of films put up. That's PR and marketing for you, and I don't think their stance on it really deserves much attention at all. It's all normal, and other companies do far worse.

 

[Mush]

I guess having fans is like having HD towns in their games.

Ice cold.

 

[Nirolak]

Unlike the sites in the OP, I'm not afraid to come out and say that speaking as somebody who deals with SE on a regular basis, yes, they do. In fact, they protect their properties in ways that are far more aggressive than other companies. There's very strict guidelines for how renders, logos and the like are used.

It's weird, though, as we were allowed to screenshot and capture footage of FF13, but only after the embargo expired, but with Nier and other recent releases we've been banned outright. Most curious.

I don't necessarily think it's because of bullshots, as they did get burned badly with those FF13 360 shots and they were genuinely angry/upset that those were released - the people who released the didn't know they weren't real shots - but like all marketing, it's all about controlling perception, and that is what this is about. They might only show the best looking areas of a game rather than more ropey areas, for example, and they certainly don't want the ending of a story-driven game being put on YouTube a day after release, much like how movie studios don't want the endings of films put up. That's PR and marketing for you, and I don't think their stance on it really deserves much attention at all. It's all normal, and other companies do far worse.

One company's shitty policies do not excuse another company's shitty policies. This is the long road to damnation people are far too willing to walk.

The film industry is also not a good comparison. Movies do not have gameplay. Even if you're a story driven adventure game, the experience of playing your game should be worthwhile and appealing. If the experience of playing your game is so uncompelling that people would not want to play it after choosing to see the ending on YouTube, the problem is not the YouTube video they watched.

 

[DiscoJer]

Well, I think many companies do simply think of the gaming media as an extension of their PR.

One of the things that has been pissing me off lately is over at Siliconera, how they've been teasing announcements of Xseed's (apparent) bringing over of Falcom's stuff.

For instance:

http://www.siliconera.com/2010/05/07/your-ticket-is-here/

Seems to me, if you are really a journalist, you publish news. Or you don't. You don't tease stuff like that just because a company tells you to. That's viral marketing.

 

[Jokab]

Yeah, Square really are asses in this aspect. They even shut down a Chrono Cross (or was it Trigger?) remake called Chrono Resurrection, which was fanmade with no intention of making profit.

Site: http://www.opcoder.com/projects/chrono/
Youtube trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YELRuYNBRDk

Do you see how AWESOME this could have been? But Square had to be douches and shut it down. Guess we'll never see the end result. This is partly why I don't own a single Square Enix game.

 

[RadioHeadAche]

Yeah, Square really are asses in this aspect. They even shut down a Chrono Cross (or was it Trigger?) remake called Chrono Resurrection, which was fanmade with no intention of making profit.

I believe it was Chrono Trigger.

 

[Pooya]

I don't necessarily think it's because of bullshots, as they did get burned badly with those FF13 360 shots and they were genuinely angry/upset that those were released

But those were released by Square-Enix, I'm talking about the shots with mouse-pointer on them. Those weren't taken by gaming media.

 

[Red Scarlet]

My full-game playthroughs of SE stuff are still a-ok. Hooray.

 

[PetriP-TNT]

I think that everyone is doing the thing described in the OP now, here's what Pelaajalehti received from Microsoft/Remedy (from their twitter)

"Näyttökuvien (screenshot) ja videoiden tallentaminen tästä arvostelulevystä ei ole sallittua mihinkään tarkoitukseen"

It pretty much states that taking screenshots and videos from this review copy is prohibited for any purpose.


Publishers want to control the footage they give out public so they can show the best possible sides from the game they are releasing. Cool? No. Basics of moneymaking 101? Yeah.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

I think that everyone is doing the thing described in the OP now, here's what Pelaajalehti received from Microsoft/Remedy (from their twitter)

"Näyttökuvien (screenshot) ja videoiden tallentaminen tästä arvostelulevystä ei ole sallittua mihinkään tarkoitukseen"

It pretty much states that taking screenshots and videos from this review copy is prohibited for any purpose.


Publishers want to control the footage they give out public so they can show the best possible sides from the game they are releasing. Cool? No. Basics of moneymaking 101? Yeah.

I think that's incredibly debatable.

 

[dramatis]

Square Enix prohibits to create and publish self-made screenshots and videos of any of their games.

Say, does this include official news outlets, to the point where a place like Eurogamer might not be able to do their comparisons, or maybe prohibit something like an endurance run with one of their games? Or is it a policy restricted to the peasant population of regular users?

 

[SovanJedi]

This reminds me of Video Games Live where the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts sections of the performance were prohibited from using any footage from their respective games because Squenix said so. Bastards.

 

[TelemachusD]

So I'm not allowed to use the YouTube feature on Just Cause 2 anymore?

 

[Varth]

It's not about SE only.
Capturing relevant, well made screens for my mag has always been a big part of my job, and I'm pretty proud when screens capture the essence of the action in a still.
Lately, though, I'm finding increasingly difficult to work as I'm receiving from multiple producers limitations that while in part logical, seem intentionally made to discourage everyone from using real screenshots.
Fact is, all these started coming almost at the same time, as if somthing 'clicked' with all of them.

 

[-PXG-]

Man SE has really been going down the shitter these passed few years.

 

[thefil]

This reminds me of Video Games Live where the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts sections of the performance were prohibited from using any footage from their respective games because Squenix said so. Bastards.

Yes, and the fanart that replaced it was somewhat... embarrassing.

 

[RevenantKioku]

This :lol

How else they gonna trick us into buying a game like FFXIII?

No tricks. You just play it and feel the enjoyment spread throughout your body. <3

I believe it was Chrono Trigger.

It was. And it looked like dogshit.

 

[Kagari]

Yes, and the fanart that replaced it was somewhat... embarrassing.

Oh yeah... it was terrible. Guess they save all the real footage for Distant Worlds.

 

[Manmademan]

If there are so many people that would rather watch your game on YouTube than actually play it that it is significantly hurting the sales, that should be a gigantic warning sign that there's something seriously wrong with the games you're making.

if the appeal of FFXIII wasn't almost entirely the combat system and battles, and not the story, you might have a point