Skip to main content

Nintendo is finally sharing ad revenue with YouTube users

Nintendo is finally sharing ad revenue with YouTube users

/

But only if you're registered

Share this story

Nintendo has just launched a beta for what it's calling its "Creators Program," an affiliate program for sharing advertising money with YouTube content creators. Essentially, anyone who is part of the program can create YouTube videos featuring footage of Nintendo games and split the advertising money with Nintendo — users will get 60 percent of the revenue on individual videos, but can also register dedicated Nintendo channels to earn 70 percent. (Nintendo notes that "this rate may be changed arbitrarily.")

This is a strong departure for Nintendo, which in 2013 controversially claimed all ad revenue on YouTube videos that featured copyright images and footage from its games. It was a move that angered multiple YouTube gaming personalities. "Until their claims are straightened out, I won't be playing their games," Zack Scott, whose YouTube channel boasts more than 1.3 million subscribers, wrote at the time.

"In the past, advertising proceeds that could be received for videos that included Nintendo-copyrighted content (such as gameplay videos) went to Nintendo, according to YouTube rules," the company says. "Now, through this service, Nintendo will send you a share of these advertising proceeds for any YouTube videos or channels containing Nintendo-copyrighted content that you register."

You can sign up to join while it's still in beta, and the Creators Program will be launching in full on May 27th.