PSA: Official Localization Company Policies related to Visual Novel Streaming and VODs

[NowItsAngeTime]

I was kinda curious if there was some kind of policy for Visual Novel streaming since it's becoming a more popular thing and there's so many companies releasing visual novels now.

From my research and asking around here's what I found:

• MangaGamer - They have a Policy on their website. Short version is full Streaming is OK, but Full VODs are only allowed for 20% of the VN or whatever covers any demo content. Any other saved videos have non-sequential clips that are a few minutes long at best.
• JAST - The exact words from a representative "As long as the VOD is transformational, including your reactions and commentary, it's fine. We can't have a video up of the complete, unedited game that would serve as a replacement for the original work. But as long as you are adding to it, that's your work. Basically, fair use rules: https://www.youtube.com/about/copyright/fair-use/". So basically Stream/VOD away as long as you add to it.
• Sekai Project - They actually have a list of which specific Visual Novels have limitations or not. TLDR, most of them are fine to fully stream/record. A small handful can only be done up to first route or demo content or non-18+ version. Some are fully banned.
• Sol Press - Streaming/VODs fully allowed.
• Nekonyan- "It's okay for us if you want to stream the game but we aren't fans of 100% playthrough VODs.
• VODs of the common route/trial route are totally okay though. "
• ShiraVN- TLDR "respect the devs' wishes". Since most of ShiraVN's releases are linear VNs, it may be safer to only do the first 20% of the VN or so.

In all cases, you HAVE to provide a link to the company's store (assumedly direct link to buy the VN). And obviously explicit sexual content on any Streaming Site would likely get you banned so just avoid that.

I have no idea what to do with fantranslated stuff. And I'm not sure what the other companies do, these are the main companies I was most interested in finding out about.

[Jardic47]

Good PSA, but correct me if i am wrong, but I have noticed some porn sites doing streams of VNs on their websites. PHub being one of them. I'm surprised no one thought of doing that.

[LegalLoliLover]

Several questions:

1. What does VOD stand for?

2. As someone pointed out, in theory, what's wrong with posting sex scenes on porn sites?

3. Does this only apply to pure VNs? For example, Eiyuu Senki and Venusblood are tactical RPGs?

4. How else am I supposed to quote awesome lines to win Internet debates?

[NowItsAngeTime]

2 hours ago, LegalLoliLover said:

Several questions:

1. What does VOD stand for?

2. As someone pointed out, in theory, what's wrong with posting sex scenes on porn sites?

3. Does this only apply to pure VNs? For example, Eiyuu Senki and Venusblood are tactical RPGs?

4. How else am I supposed to quote awesome lines to win Internet debates?

1) Video on Demand. So, like uploading an entire playthrough on youtube. 

2) I mean I could. Would just be kinda weird. 

3) Not sure

4) lol

[Clephas]

A few company policies for Japanese developers:

Purple Soft doesn't allow any form of streaming beyond demos, opening videos, and music.  This includes things that are normally considered fair use, like actually verbally narrating scenes (dubbing your voice narrating the non-verbal text) or AMVs.  On at least eleven occasions in the last few years, I've seen them (videos I liked getting taken down at their request) take down music videos, narrated clips, and video streams of playthroughs.  

Akabeisoft only allows openings.  I've seen them take down videos that were essentially AMV clips on numerous occasions.

Light allows AMVs, clips, rearrangements, etc, but they only allow demos for actually streaming the game itself (most of Light's games made in the last seven years have numerous AMVs, clips, and rearrangements, because of the obsessive fanbase).

These are just the ones I know for certain.  Will's policy was to allow demo to be streamed, but not the main game or clips, but I haven't seen anyone try anything more in a while.  

 

[adamstan]

1 hour ago, Clephas said:

Will's policy was to allow demo to be streamed, but not the main game or clips, but I haven't seen anyone try anything more in a while. 

There are several Konosora play-throughs on YT, and they haven't been taken down for a while (Well, they're from translated version, maybe that makes some difference). I'm actually interested in Pulltop's stance, since I planned to use images and animations from Konosora in a MV for my next tune. (Guess that would make it kind of AMV)

(From the experiences with the previous one, I can say that probably Toei doesn't have a problem with clips from Sailor Moon floating around on YT )

Edited May 16, 2020 by adamstan

[Clephas]

11 minutes ago, adamstan said:

There are several Konosora play-throughs on YT, and they haven't been taken down for a while (Well, they're from translated version, maybe that makes some difference). I'm actually interested in Pulltop's stance, since I planned to use images and animations from Konosora in a MV for my next tune. (Guess that would make it kind of AMV)

(From the experiences with the previous one, I can say that probably Toei doesn't have a problem with clips from Sailor Moon floating around on YT )

Pulltop is one of the many subsidiaries of Will, so if it is the Japanese version, what I said above probably applies.

[LegalLoliLover]

Here is an example of using VNs to win arguments. The whole Star Wars debate about whether the dark or the light is more powerful, whether the dark is even valid and not just a "perversion". I simply compare the light to health nut super foods that are, in theory, better for you, while I compare the dark to junk food (I'm pretty sure that McDonald's burgers that never rot are considered a "perversion" of normal food). Now, moderator with the avatar of Lord Heydrich, he who lords over Wilhelm Ehrenburg (among others), which one sells more?