Nintendo Suggests YouTube Affiliate Program

Following their move last year where they initiated 'Content ID' matches on YouTube; identifying videos that portrayed the company's titles and diverted monetisation away from video creators to Nintendo, it seems that Nintendo is taking steps towards readdressing this by working with YouTube to create an affiliate program in which revenue is shared with content creators.

Despite the negative reaction to their actions last year by the Let's Play community, Nintendo claimed that their move to capture monetisation last year was as means to make sure that use of footage was shared in an appropriate and family friendly way.

In an email to Game Informer Nintendo explained their planned direction in terms of Let's Players and footage of Nintendo games

"Nintendo has been permitting the use of Nintendo copyrighted material in videos on YouTube under appropriate circumstances, Advertisements may accompany those videos, and in keeping with previous policy that revenue is shared between YouTube and Nintendo.  In addition, for those who wish to use the material more proactively, we are preparing an affiliate program in which a portion of the advertising profit is given to the creator. Details about this affiliate program will be announced in the future."

Whilst such an affiliate program would encourage the creation of content based around Nintendo products on YouTube, Nintendo are well known for controlling expression around their products and such an affiliate scheme would give Nitendo a degree of control over any content produced, suggesting that any material produced would have to receive the 'Nintendo Seal of Approval' before it could be broadcast.