I’m in the process of setting up Twitch.tv and YouTube channels, and to be on the safe side I’m sticking to games where either I’ve gotten explicit permission from the developers to create Let’s Play-style videos and monetize them or the developers have made a blanket statement giving that permission to everyone. I do this because I realize that developers are under no obligation to allow LP’s and have every right to strike them down since it is their IP, and I respect that. I also know enough about the law (at least in the US) to know that the commonly used “free advertising” and “transformative work” excuses don’t really work, especially if the video is monetized. However, I also greatly enjoy watching shows like Game Grumps and realize that professional channels must monetize to keep doing what they love, so it’s clear that developers and content creators must find some middle ground, and where that ground lies depends heavily on the particular developer. Some developers allow anything, some ask that certain rules be followed (e.g. linking to the game’s website, making the video freely available, not impersonating the developers, etc.), some just flat-out disallow LP’s altogether, and everything in-between. That said…
I would like PixelTail Games to post an easy-to-find public Let’s Play policy detailing whether or not they allow LP’s, whether they can be monetized, and whether there are any rules the content creator must abide by. This policy should encompass all sites where gameplay may appear (YouTube, Twitch.tv, etc.) and it should be made clear whether this applies to all of PixelTail’s games or just certain ones. I also ask that there be a publically visible email address where aspiring content creators can ask for exceptions to the posted policy on a case-by-case basis. It might also be prudent to clarify whether the use of in-game music is allowed. I would very much like to add PixelTail Games to this list.
I apologize if what I’m asking has been posted somewhere else already, but if it has I couldn’t find it. If that’s the case, a link to the proper page would be greatly appreciated.