A few days it came to light that Microsoft had changed it’s Content Usage Policy, basically forbidding anybody to make money using footage of their games including Halo, Forza, Gears of War etc. Basically, if its made by Microsoft, you can’t make a penny on it, which is bad news for machinima directors on Youtube, some of which make a living doing what they do.
You see, on Youtube, if you become a partner and create videos and content that attracts a big enough audience, adverts will appear on your pages with your videos, earning you money.
While this did not harm to Microsoft, it can only do them good in my opinion, showcasing their games, Microsoft has seen that money is passing hands and they aren’t getting a cut in. While I respect that they own copyrights and such, I can’t respect that they are potentially taking food off people tables. That might seem a bit drastic, but in this economy people have had to be creative with the way they make a living, and some have made it by entertaining others on Youtube with video’s of their favorite video games.
Now, the point is, Microsoft got a lot of flak for this, with the online machinima community in uproar and even a petition going around, they aren’t the only ones who have pulled this tactic.
EA have gone a step further, whereas Microsoft have forbidden you from making any money on their games, EA is actually taking the earning and putting it in their own pocket.
The story goes that alot of Youtube channels are finding that their adverts alongside their gameplay videos have been replaced with EA adverts. EA, within their rights, have claimed the copyrights to the video’s and are now the ones receiving revenue from the adverts.
And again, they are well within their rights to do so, but that is, in my personal opinion, lower than Microsoft. Instead of taking the food off the table, they are taking and eating it while the hungry people watch.
EA have always been known to be a money hungry powerhouse, but this latest move just shows they hold no love for the community that has made them their fortune, only the fortune that they love.