Nintendo has confirmed that it is making money from content uploaded to YouTube by the people playing its games.
The video game giant is using a ‘content ID match’ tool to locate footage of its games uploaded to the video sharing site. It then inserts adverts before the video starts, meaning that it is Nintendo, as the rights holder, who profits from views rather than the YouTube user who uploaded it.
Nintendo argued that it is going down this route as an alternative to simply blocking content to which it is the rights holder, as is the policy of some other entertainment groups, and that it wants to encourage video game fans to keep uploading and sharing its content through such forms as ‘Let’s Play’ videos, which include game walkthroughs, high scores and notable gaming achievements. It added that it would not be attaching ads to videos shorter than a certain length.
Whereas at one time companies may have immediately made moves to block free showing of content to which they hold the licence, they are now becoming aware that embracing social media and putting their own weight behind it does more good for their reputation management and internet marketing campaign in most cases.
Not all Nintendo gamers are overly fond of the idea, however. One game clip uploader, Zack Scott, used Facebook to have his say on what he called a “backwards” initiative, which prevents uploaders from taking advertising revenue themselves. Scott added that he would not be playing Nintendo games for as long as the practice continues.
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