Prolific content creator and gamer, Gaijin Hunter, is known for translating Japanese content for English speaking gamers, and providing gamers in the West with insight and information regarding what’s going on in the land of the rising sun. Well, recently he almost lost his entire YouTube channel when Capcom Japan hit his channel with two copyright strikes because he uploaded footage from the Monster Hunter 10th anniversary Japanese video.
Back on November 7th, 2019, Gaijin Hunter originally informed his followers that he was going to have to take a break from uploading any content for three months until the copyright strikes were removed from his account.
Vid and urgent PSA: I have to leave YouTube for 3 months, Capcom is close to killing my channel and I need this. I cannot afford to lose it… https://t.co/FF9krMbuba RT Welcome Thank you for your support… @monsterhunter pic.twitter.com/wFFkZX31so
— Gaijinhunter (@aevanko) November 7, 2019
In the first video he posted up about the subject he explained how the Capcom Japan legal team slapped two copyright strikes on his channel for using the 10th anniversary footage from an event he attended, which showcased three elder dragons from Monster Hunter.
Even though Gaijin Hunter thought that the video footage was cool and wanted to share it with others since it was only available at the event, it turned out that Capcom Japan did not want anyone outside of Japan to see the video, and even though there were no restrictions or rules about media not recording or sharing the video, he was promptly hit with copyright strikes for sharing the video.
Gaijin Hunter was originally going to put his channel on the shelf for three months since the videos weren’t copyright claimed (which would have allowed Capcom Japan to monetize them or block them from appearing in certain regions) they were hit with copyright strikes, which penalizes the channel and puts it on the chopping block for termination.
As many of you already know, three copyright strikes and you’re out. Your channel is toast.
This is what almost happened to Gaijin Hunter, but after he made the video and tweeted out what happened, someone at YouTube actually did their job for once and removed the copyright strikes.
In a further update that was posted on November 8th, 2019, Gaijin Hunter informed his audience that Capcom USA reached out and one of the community managers relayed the message to the head office in Japan and they apologized for the whole thing.
Basically, crisis averted.
However, let this be a lesson that anyone, anywhere, with a YouTube channel or Google account can lose everything at the drop of a dime. Whether it’s spamming red or gren paddles or uploading a video that no one else has uploaded, nothing you do within the Alphabet owned circle of digital control is safe from the overreaching hand of despotism and censorship.
Remember that.
(Thanks for the news tip Krumpy Old Gamer)
