
Nintendo has received criticism in recent years for not embracing content creators. In an effort diffuse the situation, the Japanese company recently issued a new set of guidelines to make it easier for these same people to monetise any videos featuring Nintendo games. It will also be closing down its controversial creators program at the end of this year and the website for the program will be shut down in March 2019.
During a recent interview with VentureBeat, Ryan Wyatt - the global head of gaming at YouTube Gaming - said the online video platform had done a lot on its end to improve, mentioning how Nintendo's recent announcement was proof the situation had progressed:
"We obviously have community guidelines, but we’ve been happy with–look at Nintendo’s announcement, where they’re embracing game creators and allowing them to monetize on the platform. I think we’re making great progress in that regard."
Wyatt went on to explain how video game publishers should consider the "power" of content creators, once again citing Nintendo:
"Nintendo is making a big step forward by embracing the creator community, and that’s a testament to what the power of creators can do. Creators play a big role in making sure we have a healthy ecosystem of people playing, consuming, and watching gaming. The progress we’re making is tremendous. I’m excited for 2019, with everything that’s happened this year. I do believe YouTube can play a big part in showcasing and highlighting how important the creator community is to the publishers."
What are your thoughts about Nintendo embracing content creators? Tell us below.
[source venturebeat.com]
Comments 26
Glad to see that Nintendo is finally getting with the times with their online content policies...now if they could give their own online service the same treatment, that would be much appreciated!
Well, I guess they realized that more people would actually create Nintendo videos if they abandon the program after 3 years.
Continuing on, how can a company like Nintendo that holds so much innovation in the video game field be so backwards on some of the most basic aspects of social interaction.
I'd take any discussions with the head of YouTube Gaming with a large grain of salt. Remember, they're in a heated battle--one that they're currently losing--with Twitch for the minds of game streamers and their audience. They want to project a very positive outlook and Nintendo's position shift is a PR boost. I highly doubt, though, that YTGaming has much to do with Nintendo's decision, and they're merely riding Big N's coattails on this one.
I guess the Wii U taught them a very good lesson last gen about disrespecting content creators and the YouTube community.
@AirElephant I feel like, while YouTube and Twitch are rivals in some aspects, they offer fairly different services and a lot of people use both. YouTube is distinctly better for pre-recorded stuff while Twitch is widely considered the better streaming service. I feel like it would be better if both companies focused on their specializations.
@John_Koshiro
A number of reasons.
Namely though, that people are experts in a specific field of study. In the case of Nintendo, it’s making and designing games and functional, innovative hardware. Understanding the social aspects of gaming is a completely different field of study, and clearly they haven’t hired anyone to bring that perspective.
Another is simply culture. They understand social aspects of gaming as if the rest of the world mirrors Japan.
Another is stubbornness to admit they’ve had it wrong for 2 decades. I hate to say that but it’s seemingly true. If they did an about face 180 it would be an effective admission that they were completely wrong this whole time. Call it pride, call it whatever, but it seems they want to inch forward as little as possible to get to a point where they’re doing “just enough“, without having to admit they’ve had anything wrong for so long.
That said, they are inching forward. At a quicker pace than we’ve seen post-millennium, so I’m not complaining.
"Content creators" 😆 it's such a funny term. What a refined and elegant way of describing someone who streams videogames. You can make tons of money. Sure. But it's not a job. It's getting paid to not work. Content creators... Hahahaha... that's rich.
So these welfare check moms with 14 children...they're life supporters? Lol
@John_Koshiro Maybe because they were innovative in that field as well but have yet ideas how to implement it so stuck with a money making formula.
Let me explain and give a real life example:
I have an idea for an innovative social platform like no other. Its like having Miiverse, Facebook, LinkedIn and others combined into one + more, much more.
But I don't have the money nor resources to make it and if I was to start it would look like a step backwards from Facebook/MySpace which is nothing new or unique.
Even with an explanation or something to show for it, customers who signed up would just think I'm just another social typical network trying to make my money for a stale idea.
So in this case, Nintendo probably is a bit backwards but with reason. I think @BrettAwesome kinda has a point. A lot of content creators are people who stream video games and getting paid to not work. Nintendo wants to prevent that from happening and wants to see video games as a genuine medium that takes love and care to produce.
They probably had some ideas, however, didn't know how else to implement such a system. Now they've scrapped the remaining idea that they had and just want with the flow.
It would be no different to if I made that social network and it starts making money and competing with Facebook before the final idea is ever produced. Why would I innovate if there's no reason to?
@retro_player_22 The Wii U didn't teach them anything but that they are right. It was a machine targeting largely at children, just look at the ads, and thus all the policies they had in place. Now that these children have grown up and Nintendo is also after a more mature market, they can relax these policies and change them accordingly. Nintendo is a very responsibly company. They take making video games for everyone seriously.
Nintendo just realised that most of their games have no stories, so they can't be spoiled by game streaming videos. Especially at the launch of Smash Bros, game streaming is free advertising for them.
@BrettAwesome,
Will it make a massive difference?,very doubtful when even GameXplain have only just reached around a million subscribers and their videos on average get around 100k views...our pastime as a core hobby that watch these videos good or bad is very niche.
Hell you can watch a guy on YouTube eating 4 big mac meals and that gets 19 million views,or another YouTube channel featuring makeup that's getting around 30 million views,now this would make a difference.
not sure i believe they are embracing content creators until i see it. im sure they thought they were doing just that when they announced their creators program but it couldnt be further from the truth. ill believe it when they prove it.
Now if only Youtube embraced Youtube
@ReaderRagfish You can’t just hit it. You have to SMASH that like button, hit subscribe for more content, click on the notification bell, then leave a comment down below. In that exact order.
Now if only youtube would embrace content creators too.
EDIT: didn’t read the comments and saw @RyanSilberman ‘s comment after posting mine. Good that I’m not the only one thinking this
I'm not convinced. The devil is in the details, and the details suggest to me that there are still going to be major issues for people who want to post Let's Plays, longplays and walkthroughs for example, which means the problems are largely still the same as before in many cases.
@BrettAwesome Almost every single one of those content creators creates a crap-load of content beyond just the likes of longplays. Little else other than ignorance would lead a person like you to make the kind of comment you just made.
They need to stop going after fan games as well. Most fan games they go after don't even use assets or content from Nintendo games.
As a nintendo content creator myself, this is great news!
@BrettAwesome It's weird. I'm not a fan of the Youtube personality thing. I don't get it really at all. However, working in the games/media business is a lot more work than it sounds. Back when I was in the business (written, not video) I spent a lot more hours working, and for a fraction of the money of a "real job." If it could pay the bills I'd do it again in a heartbeat...I really enjoyed it....but it was long, endless, thankless hours of doing the work 7 days a week. Enjoyable work, but there's a lot of behind the scenes prep, note taking, note organizing, image/video editing, communications, etc, etc that goes on. Not a YT fan, but yeah, those guys have to deal with scripts, photography setups, planning content, video editing/post-processing, etc. Particularly the regular shows. No doubt it's a lot of work, and most of that work is "a real job" as much as the folks doing it for NBC/HBO/BBC. Without the SAG pension.
@Retupmocnin ...What nonsense are you talking about? Is this like one of your not true theories of Shigure Miyamoto-san not liking to play video games and asked other developers to make them? Most of Nintendo's games have stories, namely the Legend of Zelda series.
I don't know if you're a liar or a troll.
@Alantor28 You are right, Nintendo has Shakespeare working for them.
@BrettAwesome It is like a you are boss of your own business......you make videos for people enjoy. I view it as a job, because really it is...... Not every job has to be you getting ordered around by a boss for whatever work. Plus they are doing what they enjoy. (well most of them)
@impurekind
Or the fact that anyone can upload a video and call them selves "content creators". Do you remember the days when the service assistant was a cleaning lady? Or when the sanitation worker was a trash man?
@NEStalgia
And I really respect that. It's a gift getting to work with things you love. I just couldn't stop thinking about the kind of youtubers who get to reveal new games for big companies, and didn't even bother remembering their lines, or that whole anti cyber bully gang
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