There’s no reason for content creators like SODAZ to get shamed into quitting for trying to follow their dreams and monetize their skills.
We’re not sure why, but people attacked SODAZ for taking down their content after supposedly agreeing to work with Games Workshop on their Warhammer+ platform a deal with GW. Their Warhammer-related videos were always awesome, so it only made sense GW would reach out to them to be part of the team.
I am excited to announce that Games Workshop have been in touch to discuss my animation projects and opportunities to collaborate on official Warhammer animations. I really appreciate all the support the community has given me on these projects so far, and I look forward to what the future holds. I will be removing all Warhammer related content from my channels from today, and any further announcements will be found at Warhammer-Community.com. But I will continue youtube to upload new contents videos Thank you all again for joining me on this journey
Up to this point, everything seemed to be peachy, we got even more awesome content on the Warhammer+ app and a great content creator could make money off their art. What could go wrong?
Well, people in the hobby started apparently started attacking SODAZ for taking down their videos at the request of GW.
Why? We have no idea and don’t understand the hate. Hate has no place in this hobby. Why people get mad at someone for actually trying to turn their passion into a livable income, we’ll never understand.
The hate became so bad, it looks like Sodaz will no longer even work with GW, or even worse, animate again…
Warhammer 40k YouTube Animator Sodaz Shamed Into Quitting?
The response was posted on our Spikey Bits Hobbies Group, and just reading this makes us very, very sad. From the looks of it Games Workshop eventually reached back out to Sodaz and wanted to keep working with them, even if it did take a long time. But… the response from the community was so toxic, Sodaz decided they didn’t even want to keep working on the project of all the stress.
50% OFF For a Limited Time Only
Again, why? We have no idea why people feel the need to harass content creators when they try to make what they can with their skills.
Still, if the community was nicer to Sodaz, they would still probably want to work with GW and we would all be getting continued amazing hobby content!
So if you do anything today, go to their Youtube and leave some nice comments or even drop them a couple of bucks on their Patreon!
Showing Support for What You Like
At least there have been some nice people on the most recent YouTube community past relating to his Warhammer content. So this leads us to the point, if someone is making content you like, support them!
If they move on to bigger things and they are no longer like that small indie band you found out about before anyone else, guess what? Keep supporting them!
There is nothing wrong with someone doing what they love and actually making a living doing it. There is no place for hate here, just be happy someone you like has made it and can actually support themselves with this hobby.
Lastly, if you want to make a living in the hobby, put in the work and you’ll get there, don’t spend your time hating.
Where GW Fan Creativity Ends & IP Infringement Starts
Here’s where fan creativity ends and IP infringement actually starts for Games Workshop, Warhammer plus, and everything in between.
A lot of the information we talk about here was inspired by this amazing article from the Game Industry business site. It is more focused on video games, so while it’s not specifically for Warhammer, the samples are close enough to easily transfer over. In a way, it’s simple when you use copyrighted work, you always have to understand there is an inherent risk. In the real world, however, things are much fuzzier than that!
The main example used in the post is a Kickstarter with guides that can easily be found online or on YouTube channels. Even though the maps were hand-drawn, the creator used Copyrighted images for the covers of the guides.
This is where things get tough because generally companies won’t take down a YouTube video (even though the creators make revenue) but a project, even with the same info, was just a bridge too far…
Sodaz & Where GW Fan Creativity Ends & IP Infringement Starts
A big issue, when it comes to either Warhammer or video games, is the fact that the companies don’t want people confused as to what is a licensed product and what is not. If you or anyone creates something that is close enough or uses copyrighted images, it can be confusing to consumers.
That’s generally when companies step in, well unless it could fall under the realm of fair use which generally does not cover commercial uses, (but does apply to things like news, education, criticism (but sometimes not specifically satire, etc).
According to Google Fair Use is defined as the following:
(in US copyright law) the doctrine that brief excerpts of copyright material may, under certain circumstances, be quoted verbatim for purposes such as criticism, news reporting, teaching, and research, without the need for permission from or payment to the copyright holder.
Because if people can just use a company’s copyrighted images, the company loses tons of intrinsic and actual value. That seems obvious right? But, that’s just the most obvious point. If you create a one-to-one product, you must know the copyright claim is coming. If you write a book, even if it’s fan-fiction, and you use copyrighted images to market it, you can probably expect a claim on the way.
That’s the easy stuff though, with Warhammer plus and 3d printing on the rise, it gets far more complex.
The Warhammer Plus IP Infringement Conundrum
This is really where things get tough. Let’s look back at the video game side of things. when someone made an Unreal Engine 4-remake of Goldeneye 64, the chances it seeing the light of day were basically zero.
But, how many videos have you seen online about Nintendo games where people dress as Mario, Luigi, etc… Those videos don’t often get taken down. Why? Because it’s not direct competition with Nintendo because they do not have a platform that makes money from videos.
Guess who does have a platform that makes money from Warhammer-focused animations? That’s right, GW does.
While they did hire a lot of animators, there are plenty left out there. GW did update their IP rules to be harsher on YouTubers, they haven’t taken too much action yet. But because they are now in direct competition with animators, that will force more and more copyright claims as they try to corner the market, protect their IP, and provide value to their licensed partners and stockholders.
3D Printing & Games Workshop is Also Very Confusing
Again, the issue with 3D printing is that it directly competes with GW. Like the example above, if someone makes a direct copy of a video game (or close enough), there’s no way the company with the copyright can let it see the light of day.
However, sci-fi and fantasy miniatures have so much more gray areas. How can you say you own futuristic space soldiers? When someone makes a one-to-one copy it’s obvious when they use elements that are specifically copyrighted or a registered trademark in general (what we know as Intellectual property).
But if they do not, how does someone like Games Workshop say it’s too close?
Well, that’s why it’s so confusing. The article from Game Industry had a perfect quote for anyone looking to make something that could be thought of as infringement:
The bottom line is — if you create something that is not entirely original and uses third-party IP rights — without that party’s permission — you need to accept that there is a degree of risk in what you are doing.
Hopefully, this helps clear up where IP infringement actually starts for Games Workshop in regards to things like Warhammer plus, 3d printing, and everything in between.
Do you want SODAZ to come back to 40k animating?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, or our new Discord server, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
Get ad-free access to the site, a monthly crate of miniatures, and support some of the best creators out there for as little as $6 a month on Patreon!
About the Author: Rob Baer
