YouTube’s recent changes may not be anything new for smaller non-networked channels, but the recent copyright changes that swept across the video service earlier this month striking down numerous videos with copyright claims and blocking content creators from monetizing those videos has begun to impact many more channels. Even some Indie developers have seen copyright claims turn up on videos that they posted of their own games. Luckily for video creators, many developers are stepping up to try and help clear the YouTube train wreck since YouTube doesn’t seem to care about just how high the poop pile goes.

Recently Trion Worlds CEO Scott Hartsman stepped up to help offer some clarity on where Trion stands in regards to monetizing videos for RIFT and Defiance. His full message is available below, but the short answer is yes, you can monetize gameplay videos.

With the recent issues going around with monetized game videos, and a new group of video makers getting involved with our games, we’ve had a spike in questions over the last couple weeks. Are we okay with our games’ content being used? Are we okay with people monetizing videos?

Here, with as little legalese as possible, is our answer.

YES.

We think of streamers, Let’s Play-ers, and people who make their own videos around our games like extended family. We’ve encouraged and supported them since day one.

We also love that we’re in an era where people can make entertaining video content from games and make a few bucks, or even a make a living doing so.

If you run into any difficulties with content removal notices when you make videos or streams using materials from our games, please do drop us a line at our communications@ email address if there’s something we can help with. We’ll get your back as best as we can.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Scott Hartsman

CEO, Trion Worlds

Trion Worlds is the latest in a growing number of developers and publishers to speak up on behalf of video content creators hit by the YouTube hullabaloo. Also joining in efforts to help clear up some of the train wreck that has become YouTube’s content ID system is Deep Silver, Blizzard, Gaslamp Games, Ubisoft, SOE, and others. Some game devs and publishers have not been as clear on their stance when it comes to video monetization as Hartsman was. So props to the big man at Trion for making a clear point and cutting through all the jargon.

You can check out this list originally started by Reddit user Larsiusprime a few months back for a collection of various publishers/developers and where they stand on the monetization of gameplay videos.

Source: Quick Note on Videos, Let’s Plays, and YouTube


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Last Updated: Mar 14, 2016

About The Author

Stacy "Martuk" Jones was a long-time news editor and community manager for many of our previous game sites, such as Age of Conan. Stacy has since moved on to become a masked super hero, battling demons in another dimension.

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