YouTube star PewDiePie has posted a video responding to the recent articles across games media linking him to the Warner Bros paid promotion scandal.
It’s likely the publishers for the titles in our upcoming PC games list will be more transparent.
To give you a bit of background, Warner Bros found themselves scolded by one of those steam-pissing geysers you find in Shadow of Mordor for failing to ensure YouTubers disclosed paid promotion deals with the game.
The FTC basically gave the publisher a slap on the wrist and warned them not to do it again in the future. The fault definitely lied with Warner Bros, as they were actively discouraging YouTubers from giving the game any criticism or even telling their audience it was a paid promotion video in the first place.
Our story on the Warner Bros FTC fiasco is at that link there.
PewDiePie’s problem really begins with the FTC. In the FTC’s report, they bring up PewDiePie’s name twice, despite the fact they state multiple times that the complaint is with the publisher. Unfairly, the other YouTubers involved aren’t named.
This oversight has led to some media outlets leading with his name, even running it in the headline. Some even likened it to the recent CSGOLotto scandal. One of PewDiePie’s issue is with places using his name, despite the fact that he did disclose the partnership, albeit below the fold.
He also notes that this was two years ago and his process has evolved since, with him now moving the disclaimers up and verbally letting his audience know.
I watched his Shadow of Mordor video just now, and it’s not like he’s saying it’s amazing or anything – he’s mostly just taking the piss and attaching celebrity faces to the uruks he’s off to kill. At the end he says he “had fun”.
Towards the end of his response video he calls the media insignificant, which isn’t very nice, but his anger is kind of understandable. I don’t mind, because we’re all floating through space on a little spec of dust and we’ll all be ash soon, drifting through the endless black.
Distract yourself from that cheery thought by watching his response video: