Twitch Streams and Let’s Plays: Attention!

In line with this article from today, I would like to briefly emphasize that citation law does not apply to computer games and Let’s Plays either. In most cases, and this may still surprise some streamers, a Twitch stream or even a Let’s Play on YouTube may be a copyright infringement by the game manufacturer. In any case, if the German Copyright Act is subsumed cleanly. In German copyright law, there is, neither codified nor – with a few exceptions, developed by the courts, a fair-use principle, as the American copyright law knows it.

An exception to show a computer game, be it for the PC, for consoles or for the mobile phone via Twitch, YouTube or other streaming platforms, is only given if there is an explicit permission of the manufacturer. This can also be done in general, via the streaming provider or, for example, with influencers as part of an advertising deal. However, the fact that another Let’s Player represents the same game is not a permit for its own use.

Neither the right to quote nor the supposed lack of commercial orientation (which is legally not the case for > 99% of all larger streamers/YouTubers) lead to a different result here.

The vast majority of streamers/YouTubers are therefore always subject to a certain risk of being asked to omission by the respective rights holder and also correspond to pay damages. If this has only happened in a few cases so far, it is purely due to the importance of influencers/streamers/esports players in the context of the MANUFACTURERS’ PR and marketing efforts, but not a legal authorisation.

Because with a let’s-play video or streams, in which excerpts from a computer game are shown, the rights of the game manufacturer are interfered with, such as the exclusive right to make available according to Section 18a of the UrhG, the right to reproduce according to S. 15 UrhG and distribution in accordance with Section 16 of the UrhG.

A famous exception to toleration of use was even Nintendo, which for a long time made it very difficult to use their games in video. It wasn’t until this year that the practice was changed and you can use Nintendo material as long as you stick to these guidelines. Other manufacturers have or may have similar rules. As a streamer, however, you should always be aware of the risk.

Just by the way, a much greater risk is the use of any music in his videos, possibly even famous performers. In most cases, this is a clear copyright infringement, is by no means permitted simply because the song name and the artist are mentioned in the video description and can not only lead to expensive warnings, but as part of YouTube’s efforts around Content ID also leads to massive loss of revenue or even the complete exclusion of advertising revenue.

It is therefore highly advisable to make a request to the manufacturer before the release of videos or before the operation of Twitch channels, or at least – for example with me – to consult 😉

Author: Marian Härtel

Marian Härtel ist Rechtsanwalt und Fachanwalt für IT-Recht mit einer über 25-jährigen Erfahrung als Unternehmer und Berater in den Bereichen Games, E-Sport, Blockchain, SaaS und Künstliche Intelligenz. Seine Beratungsschwerpunkte umfassen neben dem IT-Recht insbesondere das Urheberrecht, Medienrecht sowie Wettbewerbsrecht. Er betreut schwerpunktmäßig Start-ups, Agenturen und Influencer, die er in strategischen Fragen, komplexen Vertragsangelegenheiten sowie bei Investitionsprojekten begleitet. Dabei zeichnet sich seine Beratung durch einen interdisziplinären Ansatz aus, der juristische Expertise und langjährige unternehmerische Erfahrung miteinander verbindet. Ziel seiner Tätigkeit ist stets, Mandanten praxisorientierte Lösungen anzubieten und rechtlich fundierte Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung innovativer Geschäftsmodelle zu gewährleisten.