Two top visual novel publishers have threatened anyone who posts gameplay videos of their games with legal action, claiming it is copyright infringement and akin to piracy.
Makers Visual Arts (having just released popular rorikon title Kudo Wafter) and Aquaplus (White Album) are warning players that uploading videos of their games to sites like NicoNico Douga constitutes copyright infringement and that they face years in jail and huge fines for unauthorised distribution if they disobey company demands that they cease uploading.
A number of other game publishers have in recent months been grumbling of people redistributing footage of their games, and the problem is felt to be particularly acute for visual novel publishers – these titles are games in name only and a video essentially duplicates the entirety of the “play” experience, removing, it is argued, the need to actually buy the game as surely as if the game itself had been offered up for download.
The eroge industry in particular is especially sensitive here, as it is apparently already suffering massive piracy rates, although many of the complaints in this instance actually came from annoyed players reporting videos posted to NicoNico Douga.
On the other hand, allowing copyright holders to claim copyright violation over mere images of their games sets a rather dangerous precedent – critical videos and images of their products could become the grounds for suppression and even legal action designed to quash damaging information about games, such as bugs or inferior gameplay.
This may not be a problem in places with robust “fair use” legal doctrines like the US, but although Japan has similar statutes apparently no court has ever actually accepted a fair use plea, which when coupled with the spineless tendency of most Japanese to roll over for any institution suggests potential for abuse is rife.
They just need to realize those who arn’t going to buy the game arn’t going to buy the game.
A big warm “f♥♥k you” to all those idiots. If I wanna show off my playing session it’s up to me.
agreed but f♥♥k them is equal as giving them pleasure
r♥♥e them CHOP them KILL them COOK them and at last FEED them to their families
by the way we talking bout publisher right not the developer?
They should not have a case as in most countries posting a video of a game is fair use.
To rule in favor of the company’s favor in this case would be very bad for Japan’s image.
Any judge who cares about what the rest of the world thinks of the Japanese government should throwout any case that considers a video walk through piracy.
Sounds like the company wishes to commit suicide.
I don’t know about Japan but in the US this type of thing causes people who normally would not pirate to do so simply out of spite or outright boycott a product.
> They should not have a case as in most countries posting a video of a game is fair use.
Hum. Is it really considered fair use, or just not fought out of lack of being a problem to anyone?
If it *is* really considered fair use, that might have to do with the fact that differences exist between a game and a movie of same game played. This fact vanishes when dealing with visual novels.
You know it’s bad enough we BUY these damned things, instead of pirating them, or after we pirate them to honor the companies. But we can’t share our experience or make video tributes to the games we love.
*sigh*
I am just about to lose my respect for these Japanese game and manga publishers who really wish to step out of their bounds and attack those who enjoy their work. They should sit down and revel in the fact their products got so much publicity thans to these videos and yes, these pirates who distribute them. Cause if it weren’t for that. We wouldn’t even know these damned games really existed.
gamer to publisher, f♥♥k you!
Hum, yeah? Aside from the ones already fucking the publishers (and creators along) by enjoying games but not paying for it, who is this a problem to?