Reggue You Tube

Last week Nintendo launched a beta for its YouTube Creators Programme in North America and Japan, which allows users to submit videos or entire channels for approval to enable them to receive a share of revenues while using Nintendo footage. It's an alternative to content ID claims that would prevent all videos with Nintendo content being monetised, yet it was heavily criticised by some of YouTube's biggest stars, and there are some rather strict rules in order to gain approval for content.

With those points in mind a recent update on the program's official website makes interesting reading for multiple reasons. It clarifies key rules to 'expedite the process', for one thing, as it seems a number of applicants may be missing the minutiae of the program.

  • Only officially supported games can feature in the videos or channels in question.
  • When registering channels users are reminded to remove any videos featuring non-Nintendo games or Nintendo games not included on the approved list - notable current absentees include Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
  • Those that have submitted channels that break either of these conditions are advised to remove affected videos within two weeks, or they'll be rejected and need to apply again from scratch.

This focus on clarifying rules to speed up the process follows a part of the message that apologises for delayed approvals - three days is the target; high demand is cited as the reason for the delays.

Thank you very much for participating in the Nintendo Creators Program. Due to your enthusiasm for the program, we're receiving a higher volume of applications to register channels & videos than expected. It is taking longer than we anticipated to confirm the applications. We appreciate your patience as we work through them as quickly as possible.

Managing high demand is relative to resources given to approving videos, of course, but whatever the numbers Nintendo's clearly had plenty of applications early on. We've recently argued that - in the long run - this program won't work in attracting trend-setters and major YouTube stars to cover more Nintendo games, with their objections to any revenue split (in comparison to the policies of far more accommodating publishers) being well reported. A valid counter-argument to that - made in the comments to that article - is that new or smaller channels will take up the Nintendo content cause and eventually lead to an increase in exposure for the brand on YouTube.

It'll be interesting to see how much new content we see as this program developers, and how many new and influential channels emerge with approved and monetised content. Time will tell.

[source r.ncp.nintendo.net]