http://www.fourplaygames.com/812/news/posting-gameplay-videos-could-make-you-a-felon/ Basically, if this bill passes in the US Senate, any video containing copyright material and getting more than 10 views in 180 days could get you labeled as a felon and have you facing a $2500-5000 fine and up to 5 years in jail. The bill's language is so broad that everything from let's plays to walkthroughs to video reviews of games could land you in jail facing a felony charge. Even something as simple as uploading a video of your little brother singing karaoke or using a song as a background for a personal video would fall under the bill's criteria. What are your thoughts on this (outrageous) bill?
I think it's pretty ridiculous. I think the way it works now makes far more sense. Keep it up to the copyright holders like it's always been. Those who feel it's imperative that their content stays off the internet unless uploaded by them will go after that stuff and those who don't care won't. I just can't help but feel there are better causes to put support and money (and people and time) behind than Youtube copyright infringement. :/
I think it's crazy, and I think game makers should oppose the bill as well. Because I believe they make money off of people playing their game. And it's pretty much free advertisement for games. If I watch a lets play or gameplay of a game then chances are it'll make me want the game more (some might say "Well the opposite is true", I think it helps more then it hurts). I know this holds true because Minecraft (we've all heard of that haven't we?) didn't really take off until a big name gameplay commentator on YouTube got ahold of it (he might not have been the first, but when a big name backs something they tend to start something). And from there other people got it, made their lets play and millions of copies were sold. Would this game have taken off had there been no vids posted on YouTube and no lets plays? Nope, it wouldn't have went far, wouldn't be getting it's own 360 ver, and so on. Now as far as games... why is this bill good for game companies?
Exactly, Andy. I can't name all the games I've decided to buy because I've watched a gameplay vid, a let's play, video review, or whatever. I can see a bill like this being good for movie companies, for example (hell, just look at all the organizations supporting it...the Screen Actors Guild, the MPA, the Directors Guild), but game developers and publishers really have nothing to gain from this.
It'll also crush machinima and the like. Which is one of the main reasons i even bother visiting youtube. I can't see it happening. It'll cause too much in losses to youtube, machinima etc, not to mention the damage it will do to the more hardcore call of duty community, to the commentators and to montage makers. It's really got me angry.
It depends on the game though. :/ If it's a really cutscene-heavy game, like RPGs and the like, do many people really want to go ahead, buy the game, and play through all of it? I understand things like Minecraft where the gameplay is literally everything, but if you watch a playthrough of a Professor Layton game and see someone solve all the puzzles, why buy it yourself? If you watch all the cutscenes of a Final Fantasy game, are you as likely to get it? That's pretty much why I feel it should stay as-is when it comes to gaming. If there are companies who feel that having their content on the web is detrimental, they'll go after it as they see fit. But for the other ones, LPers and streamers can continue putting content up without worrying about the government stepping in (whether the parent company approves or not).
This is a terrible bill. First of all "Fair Use" allows us to use a certain amount of copyrighted material. Second, game companies want people to post their game on youtube so it can get free, viral advertising. So many games that we know of today would not be popular if it were not for youtube. A perfect example is Minecraft. That game would be nowhere if it weren't for all of the big youtubers promoting it. This bill sucks.
