Maybe Not So Strict About That Anymore
While this one isn’t about video games per se, it does pertain to the important business of watching them on the internet. YouTube has come down from the mountain with a new set of rules regarding depictions of violence within the context of video games. Turns out there’s slightly more game violence allowed in videos now, sort of. Huzzah!
From the blog post:
Starting on 12/2, scripted or simulated violent content found in video games will be treated the same as other types of scripted content.
What does this mean for Gaming Creators?
Future gaming uploads that include scripted or simulated violence may be approved instead of being age-restricted.
There will be fewer restrictions for violence in gaming, but this policy will still maintain our high bar to protect audiences from real-world violence.
We may still age-restrict content if violent or gory imagery is the sole focus of the video. For instance, if the video focuses entirely on the most graphically violent part of a video game.
The post is a tiny bit obtuse, but essentially content creators will be able to upload videos about gorier games with fewer worries about demonitization. Again, sort of. This rule doesn’t include anything about advertisers, so it’s safe to assume that skittish ad money can still get Mortal Kombat videos penalized, for example. On the other hand, so long as you’re not uploading directly to YouTube Kids, you might be able to make content about M-Rated games. YouTube has a long history of changing huge rules at random, so it’s anyone’s guess how long this new rule will last.