Can I upload full playthroughs onto YouTube?
Is it OK to post long gameplay (playthroughs) captured videos on YouTube, of games such as: Outlast, Outlast 2, WoW, Among Us, Cattails, Dead Space, etc.
Or are these videos going to be removed from YouTube and the channel penalized?
Or are some games/companies OK with people posting playthroughs, while other games/companies are actively against it? And if so, which ones are OK with it?
Best Answer
OKprogrammer describes the current status quo: most companies are okay with playthroughs being posted online. However, I do want to point out that this does fall into a legal gray area that has not to my knowledge been tested in court yet. Game companies may make copyright claims over playthroughs posted online, and have done so in the past:
- Campo Santo filed a copyright claim against PewDiePie and had a YouTube video taken down where he played their game Firewatch.
- Nintendo has at some points in the past claimed ad revenue on playthrough videos of their games, though they do currently allow players to monetize videos of their gameplay.
Odds are that you will be fine, as most studios recognize the promotional value of Let's Plays, and would not want to face a backlash from gamers for being seen as (ab)using copyright. I'm not aware of any studios that actively prohibit playthroughs. I just want to point out that the risk, while very low, is not zero.
Further reading:
- Let's Play: Copyright on Wikipedia
- Are Let’s Play videos legal? from Odin Law
- Table of explicitly-"Let's Play"-friendly developers
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Can you monetize playthrough?
Yes! Unless the publisher has explicitly stated they do not want YouTuber's monetizing off of their games, you are able to upload and monetize that content.How do you avoid copyright on video games?
Commentary during gameplay recording/streaming Make sure to do proper commentary while recording or streaming your favorite games on YouTube. It will not only make your videos/streams more interesting to watch but also help you avoid copyright claims & strikes from the game developers.How To PROPERLY Upload Gaming Videos On YouTube (2020)
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Answer 2
I think that game developers would be happy that anyone would promote their product as gameplay videos are transformative works that provide helpful feedback, critiques, instructional value, and it's free advertisement. It's a huge marketing tool for game developers to have their games represented by big names in the gaming world. I personally don't see the issue with gaming channels. Not only do the gamers benefit from the views from their videos, but it can definitely give the games themselves more exposure and it can attract audiences to want to buy the game, should the game interest them. And gamers should be able to give honest feedback. Not be disrespectful and slanderous. But if there are issues within the game, like bugs or glitches, or there is some element that can be pointed out that is least liked out of the game, then anyone should be able to make an honest review.
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