According to a variety of online sources, including prominent YouTube personalities TotalBiscuit and Jim Sterling, Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment (WB Games) is shutting down monetized YouTube videos showcasing gameplay from their newly released game, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, via DMCA copyright claims.
For those who are unfamiliar with what DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) actually is, you can read a description of it below (courtesy of WhatIs.com):
“The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a controversial United States digital rights management ( DRM ) law enacted October 28, 1998 by then-President Bill Clinton. The intent behind DMCA was to create an updated version of copyright laws to deal with the special challenges of regulating digital material. Broadly, the aim of DMCA is to protect the rights of both copyright owners and consumers.”
This discovery is particularly interesting since it follows the recent debacle regarding public relations firms only handing out review copies of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor to YouTube reviewers who accepted a brand deal.
Read more details on the recent Shadow of Mordor fiasco after the break.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Copyright Claims
Apparently, WB Games DMCA copyright claims are based on the presumption that the company registered Shadow of Mordor’s in-game cutscenes with Content ID, in turn YouTube’s system recognizes various YouTuber’s Shadow of Mordor gameplay (including cutscenes, for the most part) as copyright infringement.
TotalBiscuit, the YouTube personality who revealed the aforementioned reviewer brand deal, released a statement regarding the situation, it is as follows:
The reason it looks really bad for them is that those claims were aimed at those who didnt accept brand deals and are simply playing copies they bought on launch. It was already murky to say the least because they gave out pre-release code to those who were making videos that they sponsored, but didnt give out pre-release PC code to reviewers and critics (which again made no sense because the game is getting pretty much universal acclaim and rightfully so).
Looking at the claim, it seems most likely that they registered cutscene content within the Content ID database and the claims are automatic. This is certainly far less malicious than directly going after channels that didnt engage in their brand deal and it seems like the most likely cause of this. The practice of registering cutscene content in the Content ID database has plagued reviewers in the past, flagging and taking down review and critique that is absolutely allowed under fair use doctrine.
Hopefully @WB_Games will realise that they’ve made a mistake and release those claims, lest people assume a more malicious goal of censorship and undue control of the media narrative on their game. After all, they only have sales to gain from people showing off their game, since it’s undoubtedly a very good product.
As previously mentioned, a number of YouTube gamers’ Shadow of Mordor videos were being taken down/demonetized due to WB Games DMCA claim, including another well-known individual, Jim Sterling.
Naturally, he had something to say about it on his Twitter.
https://twitter.com/JimSterling/status/517339470728036352
You can also view a related thread discussing the situation on the Reddit’s r/Games subreddit here.
It is unknown whether or not YouTube’s Content ID system is taking the Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor videos in question down automatically, or if WB Games is shutting them down manually.
However, all the following is rumor and speculation. Until an official announcement is made by WB Games, gamers can only assume what the situation entails. This article will be updated accordingly if, or when relevant information emerges.
What are your thoughts on this situation, especially following the recent controversy regarding Shadow of Mordor‘s review copy brand deal?
Let us know in the comments section below! As always, stay tuned to GamerHeadlines.com for the latest in video game and technology news.
Source: TotalBiscuit’s and Jim Sterling’s Twitter accounts
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