After years of being at odds with content creators, Nintendo has shown a newfound faith in content creators as they prepare to shut down the Nintendo Creators Program later this month with a shut down of the site in 2019.
What seems like a weird shift for Nintendo and a reason we have cut a majority of content from our site and our YouTube channel seems to be coming to an end as Nintendo has revealed that they are shutting down their Nintendo Creators Program, which was a disastrous approach to how influencers and content creators on YouTube and Twitch could create monetized content for their channels.
While we are unsure what has happened to cause this change, Nintendo has revealed a new set of guidelines for online video and image sharing platforms such as Niconico, Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and OPENREC.tv (all subject to change at a later date). Sadly, Mixer wasn’t mentioned, but it may not come at a surprise due to Microsoft owning the platform itself.https://r.ncp.nintendo.net/news/#list_8 Nintendo has revealed that they are shutting down the service later this month and the website itself will be virtually erased on March 20, 2019.
The most surprising part of it all? A very short memo Nintendo released for public viewing on the official Nintendo Creators Program site:
“We are ending the Nintendo Creators Program (NCP) to make it easier for content creators to make and monetize videos that contain Nintendo game content. We will no longer ask creators to submit their videos to the NCP, and creators can continue showing their passion for Nintendo by following Nintendo’s guidelines, located at https://www.nintendo.co.jp/networkservice_guideline/index.html.
The NCP will come to a close at the end of December 2018. Please note that we are no longer accepting videos and channels, and will not review any that have been submitted, but not yet registered. The NCP website will be taken down on March 20, 2019.
We appreciate and encourage the continued support of content creators, and thank them for their dedication to helping us create smiles.
Nintendo Co., Ltd.“
The best part of it all comes in the form that Nintendo simply wants creative input that will qualify by standing out from the content other streamers and content creators have released. Meaning, they simply don’t want regurgitated content from one creator or another. They want content that is new, unique, and providing a transformative experience from everyone else. Among the content allowed comes game reviews, which Nintendo has dubbed as qualified content from creators.
But Nintendo has issued the following restriction that could be used with a heavy hand if they become unhappy with content creators and how content creators approach their coverage:
“We reserve the right to remove any content that we believe is unlawful, infringing, inappropriate, or not in line with these Guidelines.”
The second best thing about all of this comes down to the fact Nintendo is also handing back earnings to allowing content creators to have a chance at earning what they deserve moving forward. The most surprising part is the fact they’re doing this between the releases of some of their biggest hits such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (releases on 12/7/2018) and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!.
Here’s to hoping that this new approach doesn’t get swept under the rug faster than it was revealed. If not, then there’s a bright future for Nintendo-focused content.
About the Writer(s):
Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the borders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter or Facebook.