During BlizzCon Online this weekend, Blizzard announced (and released) a three-in-one retro selection comprised of The Lost Vikings, Rock N Roll Racing and Blackthorne.
Just days after the launch of the Blizzard Arcade Collection, Blizzard's Adam Fletcher has issued a warning about streaming Rock N Roll Racing on platforms such as Twitch. The licensed soundtrack in this particular game is not cleared for streaming, meaning strikes will likely be dished out if it's not switched off.
According to a story from Kotaku, Twitch went on a purge back in November last year and removed all licensed music and sound effects. It's become so bad that yesterday's Metallica concert during BlizzCon was replaced with generic audio.
So be sure to turn off Rock N Roll Racing's music before you start streaming this collection online. The Blizzard Arcade Collection is available now from the Switch eShop for $19.99. Have you tried it out yet? Leave a comment down below.
[source twitter.com, via kotaku.com.au]
Comments 36
It's almost as if they don't want free publicity
The world of music copyright is so, so FUBAR'ed...
@PBandSmelly maybe
😂 Is that Metallica clip legit? It's especially funny as they were originally one of the main opponents of digital downloads and I believe they took on Napster back in the day!
I didn’t realize that game streaming was still a thing.
Stuff like this is why I'll never understand why copyright holders can be so sensitive when other people use their stuff. They believe someone using their music for a few moments is the equivalent of them pirating it and then selling it to others.
This collection is top quality. The 'Definitive Edition' of Rock n Roll Racing is actually a remastered version with widescreen, special effects, more background detail and has the original songs in CD quality sound playing as you race.
@OorWullie - You’ve just sold it to me. I have the original, and love it, but what you’ve just said has sold me a copy of the collection.
@norwichred Nice one, you're going to love it. It was a really nice surprise to see what they've done with it. The whole package is really well presented too.
@OorWullie "The original songs" as in the actual songs, lyrics and all or just the game version in better quality?
Will streamers really get a DMCA, or are they just being Paranoid?
When I read about the re-release of this collection I immediately thought of the legal issues the RnRR soundtrack would ensue. I'm even surprised they are rereleasing it with the original music in 2021.
@Einherjar Yeah the actual original songs with lyrics. My first race I had Judas Priest's Breaking the Law blasting. I couldn't stop smiling.
@OorWullie that song wasn’t in the original. @mauhlin12. I see what you did there
@mauhlin12
It's definitely making them feel Frantic.
That's a shame. It's the only game in the entire collection worth owning.🙃
@OorWullie Darn, that's super neat!
Thanks for the info!
From what I can gather Black Sabbath's Paranoid is missing, but the 'Definitive' version has extra tracks added so props to them for doing that.
So if this game and these soundtracks can be released ONLINE for purchase (of course they call it a "license"), then why was Microsoft forced to pull the earlier Forza Horizons off of their Store due to the music license permissions expiring? Couldn't a user simply purchase and play them offline just like the case with this? Licensing has caused so many great games to be lost to the public, perhaps forever.
I have a simple solution to (at least part) of the mess regarding licensed music, names, etc.: once a deal is finalized and a game manufactured and/or released, those permissions go on in perpetuity for the publisher A) so that the games can stay available for purchase and B) to enable future remasters, compilations, etc.. Maybe it would make getting artists or studios (say, Lucasfilm for Star Wars Arcade or Marvel for Marvel vs. Capcom) to sign on the dotted line a bit tougher for future collaborations, but a one-time transaction that allows people to be able to purchase and enjoy classic games indefinitely without corporate and legal red tape interfering would be a huge win for the hobby.
@OorWullie any idea which platform rock n roll racing is based on cos it looks more detailed than the snes or megadrive versions
@Gs69 It includes 3 versions, the SNES original, Megadrive version and Definitive Edition which seems to be based on the SNES version but has been remastered into widescreen, with extra details and special effects like smoke and mist. It looks really good, more like a 32bit version.
@OorWullie excellent I’m gonna buy this today been playing it on GBA recently but it seems as though it’s zoomed in too close it’s hard to see the track ahead but it has some nice graphical touches
@ecco6t9 have you not heard of twitch or youtube?
@PBandSmelly It's almost like artists resent folk using their creativity without paying them!
@mauhlin12 that question explains what's going on in a nutshell. It's too much work for copyright holders to go after individual streamers and tell them to stop, so they threaten (excuse me, "negotiate with") the whole platform in order to get them to do something that address the problem on a higher level.
@GrailUK Nah it's record labels wanting their cake and eat it too.
I must have missed the announcement of this collection. I absolutely love both Rock N Roll Racing and the Lost Vikings.
Seems like they really did a good job upgrading these games. I'll put this on my list!
@khululy Well, there is that too I guess
Hey, when I release my EP I'll give people permission to use it in any streams they want. Free publicity for anyone that doesn't already have millions of listeners. Never understood why (non music based) games don't use soundtracks of smaller artists.
@OorWullie wow, now they have lyrics? That's new. Damn!!! Because the ost of the game is amazing for a metalhead like myself
@Oppyz666 Ah you'll love it for sure. I had the sound blasting out 2 large speakers as I played in handheld and it was amazing fun.
I never thought we'd get to 2021 and the music industry would still exist...and still suck as bad as they've ever sucked.
@AtlanteanMan I think there are two possibilities:
1. Licenses with no expiration date are more expensive and the publisher of the game just says "eh, it's fine, nobody will care about this game in ten years anyway" and goes for the cheaper option.
2. Music rights holders simply don't allow contracts without an expiration date. Even if it is just for one specific product.
@OorWullie I've been playing the definitive edition with my headphones on; it's great!
Remember when a lot of people were suing Epic Games because they "stole" their dances to use in Fortnite, including Alfonso Ribeiro, known as Carlton from Fresh Prince?
People wanted Epic Games to lose just because they hated Fortnite, copyright laws are already a mess and they wanted it to become even worse, thankfully, you cannot copyright a short dance routine.
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