PointCrow has been hit with several copyright strikes from Nintendo on his YouTube channel, and he’s pleading with the company to reconsider their decision before Tears of the Kingdom releases.
PointCrow’s channel has grown immensely over the past few years, with his modded Legend of Zelda: BoTW content playing a large part in what helped his channel take off.
He would modify certain aspects of the game to get more out of it than a typical challenge run, creating scenarios for himself that kept him (and fans of the content) glued to the game for years. However, after copyright strikes were issued against four videos that showed off a multiplayer mod for the game, several other videos on his channel got claimed.
While most of the claimed videos contained modded content, some were from the vanilla version of BoTW and even other unmodded Nintendo games. PointCrow is pleading with Nintendo to reconsider their stance on his content before Tears of the Kingdom comes out so that he can make videos about the game and other Nintendo titles.
PointCrow claims his videos follow Nintendo content guidelines
Nintendo has historically been strict with how their intellectual property can be used in other creator’s content over the years, with one YouTuber getting over 500 videos struck down as a result of copyright strikes issued by Nintendo.
While Nintendo has the right to take down videos that violate their set Game Content Guidelines for Online Video & Image Sharing Platforms, PointCrow argued that the videos he made are well within these guidelines and don’t violate any of the rules, saying that Nintendo’s copyright rules are “incredibly uneven.”
PointCrow explained in his video that the Legend of Zelda terms of service don’t allow players to modify the game, but they also don’t allow them to stream the game, make videos about the game, or broadcast gameplay.
Meanwhile, Nintendo’s game content guidelines on what content creators are allowed to share on video & image sharing platforms read as follows: “We encourage you to use Nintendo Game Content in videos and images that feature your creative input and commentary. For example, Let’s Play videos and video game reviews are within the scope of the Guidelines.”
PointCrow asserted that the wording here in Nintendo’s game content guidelines, guidelines that have been shown to overwrite existing terms of service, don’t directly mention that modifying games isn’t allowed.
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This, along with other creators having content about Nintendo games getting struck down, has PointCrow worried for his own content and any videos or livestreams posted by other creators. Especially with Tears of the Kingdom‘s release right around the corner.
However, the results of a legal battle with Nintendo could, according to PointCrow, be devastating even if he’s in the right.
“Even if I’m in the right here, that risks my channel, my livelihood, and the livelihoods of my team. I don’t wanna go through that, and I’m left questioning the future of the content I’m allowed to make.”
Just put a video out going over the take downs that @NintendoAmerica has issued on my YouTube channel. Please go give it a watch, it's incredibly important! pic.twitter.com/EHD6E7yCP3
— eric pointcrow (@PointCrow) April 14, 2023
PointCrow showed that content totaling over 55 million views has been either claimed or taken down by Nintendo at this point, making him wary of producing videos based around their games in the future.
He ended his video with one final message to Nintendo.
“Don’t take this creativity away from us. These channels you’ve targeted, these videos you’re claiming are from some of the people who are most passionate about your games. You’re stifling that imagination, and punishing those who want to share it with others – when they do it in the way you’ve outlined for us creators. Please remove these strikes and claims, or at least start a dialogue with us so we can figure this out and all move forward with the excitement I’m sure you’d love to see about your future games.”
PointCrow has already reached out to Nintendo directly in regards to this matter, but hasn’t received a response at the time of writing.