User:Avatar/Ubisoft

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Recently the computer and video game publisher and developer Ubisoft gave permission to use user created screenshots of their games under a free license. The discussion (OTRS ticket#: 20051200210003144) can be found here (in German language).

[edit] Correct licensing

If you want to upload a self created screenshot of a game by Ubisoft, this is the proper way to license it:

== Licensing ==
{{Attribution-Ubisoft}}

Perhaps you should also add a link to this page. If you use Template:Information you can add it to the "Permission" field. See Image:Lock On Cockpit MiG.jpg for an example.

(And don't forget to add it to Category:Video game screenshots, a sub category or an own article. Thanks.)

[edit] Permission

Roundup: Ubisoft allows the users to publish screenshots of all their games under a free license. They allow redistribution, derivative works and commercial use. They still hold the copyright. Attribution must go to "Ubisoft" - see "Correct licensing" above.

Ubisoft stated "in individual cases" (if the pictures solely intention is to discredit the game) they are able to revoke this license. I started arguing with them about this constraint and that this is not our understanding of freedom. We agreed, that if the sole intention of a picture is to discredit a game, that we would still delete it, because this is not acceptable under our NPOV directive. We agreed that Wikipedia can't assure that third persons will perhaps modify the pictures to discredit the game and that they are allowed to do so, if the screenshots are published under a free license. So Ubisoft accepted that.—Preceding unsigned comment added by Avatar (talk • contribs) (UTC)

Do they understand that "derivative work" includes not only still images, but also GUIs? I mean, for instance, now I can make a brand new Cheess game with an interface exactly the same as the one found on the free image en:Image:Chessmaster 10th Edition2 edited.JPG. --Damiens.rf 20:42, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

And since all individual screenshots are freely distributable, a sequence of such screenshots will also be. That is, you can record your playing and post it freely on youtube, or produce tutorial videos, or even some of those funny spoofs... all without asking further permission. Amazing. --Damiens.rf 20:46, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

Is that really an issue? People do that all the time anyway, and I don't think the developer would have any complaint. It certainly doesn't undermine their ability to make a profit, and may in fact amount to positive publicity. I would think such action would fall under Wikipedia's definition of fair use, regardless of the position of the developer. I really appreciate Ubisoft's decision in this regard, though. It makes our work so much easier.

The question about GUIs is more troubling, though. I guess this is where Ubisoft's "individual cases" stipulation comes into play. —INTRIGUEBLUE (talk|contribs) 03:20, 30 October 2008 (UTC)

Do they reserve themselves the right to revoke the licenses on special individual cases? --Damiens.rf 12:52, 30 October 2008 (UTC)

Free licenses can't be revoked. But this is a very hypothetical question. Plrk (talk) 11:57, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

That is not what the Ubisoft employee wrote: ""In Einzelfällen behalten wir uns das Recht vor dieses zu untersagen und die entsprechenden Bilder löschen zu lassen. Z.b. in dem Fall, dass Bilder gemacht werden um das Produkt klar in Diskredit zu stellen."" They reserve the right to have some images deleted. For example when an image is used to discredit their product. See the current 3rd DR. /Pieter Kuiper (talk) 10:50, 5 November 2009 (UTC)