Mojang Tempted to Claim YouTube Revenue on Minecraft Videos

[Raioken18]

Machinima really come off sounding like scam artists though. Like the sort of people who'd do a half assed job of mowing you lawn then abuse you because you wouldn't pay them $100 even though you didn't ask them to do anything...

Anyway, good on Notch for not ripping on Let's Play vids. As someone who's made them in the past and had them taken down for copyright (Battlefield 3 and MW2), I can honestly say that most of the people creating the content aren't scamming developers, they just like those games and want to share their experience with others.

I'm honestly surprised that Nintendo took this stance, especially if they aren't going to release similar content. A lot of the LPers are also a positive influence on the community, and... they weren't asking for money from Nintendo to do so.

Ah well, this probably goes to show the monetary pressure being placed on Nintendo at the moment. In the long term I think they will come to understand that it was a dumb and greedy decision.

 

[Mid Boss]

- and the only ones left with a modicum of decency are indie devs

That's because Indie developers are gamers and dependent on their fans. Get into the big leagues and you've got people in charge who have never touched a video game in their lives and wouldn't be caught dead talking to their community unless it was a publicity stunt. As a result you get out of touch, over paid, walking bags of pig excrement sitting around dreaming up new ways to %&^& people over for more money.

I honestly don't understand all the corporation worship that goes on in this country. We've seen time and time again that corporations hate you. You are nothing more than a inconvenient barrier between them and your wallet. It baffles me how many people stand up and defend them.

You're completely clueless and an idiot if they think they don't take into account goodwill mate.

Pretty sure when a oil rig explodes because an oil company with more money than a third world country dodged getting inspected I highly doubt the first thing on their minds were the lives of their workers or public opinion. What about Walmart? Gives their store managers bonuses for running the building on as few people as possible. That's WHY it takes 15 minutes to get any assistance and the workers look exhausted and pissed. Nope, don't think they're factoring in your opinion of them there either. Look up just about ANY article on here about EA. Didn't we JUST have a plant in Texas explode because they were dodging inspections?

?There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire. If you?re jealous of those with more money, don?t just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself ? spend less time drinking or smoking and socializing, and more time working.? - Gina Rinehart the world's richest woman who, coincidentally, didn't have to work for her fortune. She an obese troll who inherited it all. She also wants to do away with minimum wage. Just a lovely human being. Simply first rate.

I can go all freaking day! And you are going to sit there and tell me that I'm a clueless idiot for not thinking these people care about me. Have you EVER turned on the news!?

 

[Eggsnham]

Notch is a dick, should we all be so surprised?

Quite frankly, now that I've got Minecraft Mojang could just disappear...Screw the updates as well, all they've done is broken the game, the bloodly engine.

It's like you didn't even bother reading the article.

 

[Amir Kondori]

Wow, I don't know why I am shocked to see the Escapist taking one quote out of context and using it generate page views. If you read the reddit comments he then outlines all the reasons they decided not to do so:
"Machinima wanted us to pay them money. They said their videos were driving sales for Minecraft, and that they should get a cut.

While that was almost certainly true, and that this is one of the reasons we allow videos (another one is that I personally love watching gameplay videos, especially speedruns), they're also making money off our work. It's the perfect example of a win-win situation, and them asking money from us was just offensive.

Also, this: http://www.houstonpress.com/2013-01-10/culture/youtube-stars-networks-money/full

They have amazing engineers and passionate directors, but their business practices are insane."

So not only does Notch and Mojang allow lets players and others to make money from videos featuring their videogames, which rightly or wrongly they don't have to do, Machinima had the stones to ask to get PAID for doing the videos! Still they haven't pulled a Nintendo or a SEGA. So why are people bashing him in this thread?

 

[Amir Kondori]

I think the important thing here is that even though they were given the option - and probably needed the money much more than Nintendo does - they opted not to take it.

They need the money far LESS than Nintendo does. Nintendo has large operating expenses that Mojang does not. They actually have a far larger profit margin than Nintendo does. Still, the sums we are talking about are relatively small compared to their revue sources for both companies and surely not worth alienating those fans and killing the golden goose. As soon as you remove any financial incentive for Youtubers to cover your material all the best will stop covering your material.

The idea that they should even have any rights to something like a Let's Play is fairly ridiculous. It is not like a movie where watching it is how you consume it. You have to play a game, in almost all cases, to consume it.

 

[AlwaysPractical]

A dude who wants to ruin people's livelihood by taking away their income because they did something on a blank canvas and defends it by saying other dudes want to make more money too without destroying lives.

I cannot defend Machinima but my god do I hate Notch's attitude here.

 

[runic knight]

A dude who wants to ruin people's livelihood by taking away their income because they did something on a blank canvas and defends it by saying other dudes want to make more money too without destroying lives.

I cannot defend Machinima but my god do I hate Notch's attitude here.

I don't follow at all, given that notch pretty much went "Well, free money is tempting but nah, not going to do it". Machinima demanding money, yes, they are assholes right there. Notch deciding to not take money from LP makers and the like? I don't get what is wrong with that attitude.

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

Stop searching for Minecraft videos on youtube and you'll probably find yourself a lot less annoyed about it. Seriously, I rarely see them aside from one or two linked on websites/forums maybe once every other month. If you're seeing so many that they actively annoy you then you're either spending too much time in the wrong communities or actively searching them out for some reason.

God, I hope Notch will get his wish. I'm absolutely tired of the endless stream of vomit that is Mincraft videos, clogging up youtube.

Uuum... so don't watch them?

If I were to search, let alone watch those videos, I wouldn't have no problem with them popping up. The thing is, they appear everywhere. Even on a clean private browsing session, I see at least two simultanous mincraft casts appearing on the front page.

Because they are trending...?

That's why we have YouTube accounts & subscriptions...?

I never see any of that "trending" crap (except for Space Oddity by Chris Hadfield<-shit's amazing) unless I have cleared through "My Subscriptions".

Hell, I can't even access those videos unless I am on my phone.

 

[Aitamen]

Copyright law is very clear on the matter of using a work as the basis of commentary as fair use. Fuck N's bullshit.

 

[NightmareExpress]

Copyright law is very clear on the matter of using a work as the basis of commentary as fair use. Fuck N's bullshit.

That's one bit of many.
A lawyer, working against a vast majority of LPers, would point out that almost every other aspect is being violated and it is no longer "fair use". Also, "commentary" doesn't mean "record your unfunny jokes and ramble on about random tidbits unrelated to the content you're talking about", it means to stay on track and educate about the product. Talk about how it was made and all that good stuff. Talk about the right things. Unless, of course, you've sold your soul to a network. Then talk about whatever you bloody well wish to.

Just saying "fair use because of x" doesn't make it so.
In fact, companies can often win those cases even if it does fall under fair use.
It's really up to their discretion (and, of course, the legal bodies involved). So yes, it is pretty much bullshit.

 

[theultimateend]

A dick? No.

An ego? Yes.

"See, I was thinking about cashing in on all your YouTube Videos, but I decided not to. See how good a guy I am? Now you all have another reason to think i'm awesome."

He didn't HAVE to say anything, but he chose to make note publicly of how generous he is being.

Ugh.

I think the idea is that he thought the act was stupid and wanted to mock it openly.

The only difference in our observations of this "tweet" is our preconceived notions of people.

I'd be willing to bet if an interview was had with him you'd find mine more accurate.

But then I'm sure you'd say the same about your guess.

 

[Drejer43]

there is point though were everyone knows about minecraft and the people who want to buy it would already have bought it so free advertising wouldn't bring in more revenue. I wouldn't put it past him to accept it. It would also be extra motivation to keep updateing the game.

 

[Abomination]

Hold on, they want to charge for advertising? I mean, they certainly provided them with advertising but nobody ASKED them to. I could go out and wash someone's car but if they never asked me to they are under no obligation to pay me.

 

[Micalas]

Notch mentioned that Machinima.com, a host of Let's Plays on YouTube, demanded a cut of Mojang's profits in return for the "advertising" provided by the videos

Wow. This is...wow. I haven't seen testicles of this magnitude in some time.

snip

OT, but what is your avatar from?