Is MVCI & Beyond in trouble?

Summary

The video discusses the cancellation of a multiplayer mod for 'Modern Warfare Remastered' called 'h2m' due to a cease and desist order from Activision. The mod aimed to enhance the game's features, resembling 'Modern Warfare 2'. The speaker compares this situation to their own modding project for 'Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite', emphasizing the difference in how companies like Activision and Capcom handle mods. They stress the importance of respecting intellectual property rights and the potential impact of mods on a game's monetization, suggesting that their project aims to promote, not detract from, the original game's sales.

Takeaways

• 🎮 A multiplayer mod called h2m was in development for Modern Warfare remastered on PC, aiming to enhance the game's features and graphics to resemble Modern Warfare 2.
• 🚫 The mod developers received a cease and desist order from Activision, preventing the mod's release and distribution.
• 💸 Activision's action might be linked to the mod's potential disruption of their monetization strategies, particularly concerning in-game cosmetics and centralized game hubs.
• 🤔 The speaker expresses understanding of Activision's protective stance over their intellectual property, drawing parallels to Nintendo's past actions.
• 🆚 The speaker contrasts their own modding project for a different game with the h2m situation, emphasizing that their project does not interfere with the current monetization of the base game's publisher.
• 🚫 The speaker acknowledges the legal rights of game publishers like Activision, Capcom, and Marvel to protect their intellectual property, including taking down mods and user-generated content.
• 🛑 The speaker mentions past instances where Nintendo aggressively pursued content creators and modders, highlighting the potential risks involved in modding.
• 💰 The speaker clarifies that their modding project is not intended to generate revenue or alter the game's monetization, aiming instead to promote and support the original game.
• 👍 The speaker expresses a desire to grow the community and player base for the game they are modding, hoping to encourage more people to buy and enjoy the original game.
• 🙏 The speaker hopes that their efforts will be viewed positively by Capcom and Marvel, aiming to enhance the reputation and enjoyment of the game rather than detract from it.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the h2m mod for Modern Warfare remastered on PC?

The h2m mod aimed to effectively turn Modern Warfare remastered on PC into a Modern Warfare 2 remastered experience by upgrading the weapons, movement, and overall multiplayer experience, providing fans with a visual boost and additional enhancements.

Why did Activision issue a cease and desist order for the h2m mod?

Activision issued a cease and desist order likely because the mod was seen as an interruptor to their monetization model, which relies on the sale of cosmetics and in-game items. The mod could potentially divert players from engaging with and spending money on Activision's current monetized content.

How does the speaker relate the h2m mod situation to his own project?

The speaker relates the h2m mod situation to his own project by drawing parallels between the potential impact on the game developers' revenue streams. He acknowledges that while his project is similar in nature, it does not disrupt the cash flow of Capcom or Marvel Games, which he believes is a significant factor in the different treatment of mods by game companies.

What is the speaker's stance on the legality of game mods?

The speaker acknowledges that game companies like Activision, Capcom, and Marvel Games are within their legal rights to take down mods and content related to their intellectual properties, and that creators of mods and content must be aware of the risks involved.

Why does the speaker believe his project might not face the same issues as the h2m mod?

The speaker believes his project might not face the same issues because it does not interrupt the cash flow of Capcom or Marvel Games, and instead encourages people to buy and engage with the original games, which aligns with the interests of the game companies.

What are the two general principles the speaker is following with his mod project?

The two general principles the speaker is following are: not making any characters naked, and not selling the mod or accepting any form of payment for it, ensuring that the project remains non-commercial and respectful of the original game's intellectual property.

What is the speaker's goal with his Marvel vs. Capcom mod project?

The speaker's goal with his Marvel vs. Capcom mod project is to promote the game, encourage more people to buy and play it, and enhance the community experience by providing a visually improved and potentially more engaging version without disrupting the game's monetization.

Why does the speaker mention Monster Hunter: World's Iceborne mod?

The speaker mentions Monster Hunter: World's Iceborne mod to illustrate that Capcom has allowed a significant mod to exist without taking it down, suggesting that Capcom may be more open to mods that enhance the community and gameplay experience without directly impacting their revenue.

What historical example does the speaker provide regarding Nintendo's approach to game mods?

The speaker provides the historical example of Nintendo in the mid-2010s, where they aggressively pursued creators of gameplay videos and mods, particularly targeting the Project M mod for Super Smash Bros., to illustrate how companies can protect their intellectual property aggressively.

What does the speaker suggest is the key difference between his mod project and the h2m mod in terms of company response?

The speaker suggests that the key difference is that his mod project does not interrupt the cash flow of Capcom or Marvel Games, unlike the h2m mod which was seen as a disruption to Activision's monetization strategies, making it more likely for his project to be tolerated.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 'H2M' Mod Shutdown by Activision

The paragraph discusses the cancellation of 'H2M', a multiplayer mod for Modern Warfare remastered on PC, which aimed to replicate the experience of Modern Warfare 2. The mod was highly anticipated as it promised to enhance the visuals and gameplay of the original game. However, Activision issued a cease and desist order to the mod creators, preventing the mod's distribution. The speaker speculates that this action was taken because the mod could potentially disrupt Activision's monetization strategies, such as skin sales and the promotion of newer titles. The speaker also contrasts this situation with their own modding project, emphasizing the difference in how intellectual property is handled by different game companies.

05:02

📚 Legal Ramifications of Modding

This paragraph delves into the legal aspects of modding games, particularly focusing on the DMCA and how it can be used by game companies like Activision and Nintendo to protect their intellectual property. The speaker shares personal experiences with Activision's legal team and discusses the challenges faced by modders and content creators. The paragraph also touches on Nintendo's past aggressive stance against modding and streaming of their games, highlighting the potential consequences for those who create and share modded content.

10:02

🛠️ Modding for Community and Game Sales

The final paragraph emphasizes the speaker's intentions with their modding project for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (MVCI). The goal is to boost the game's community and sales by offering a free, non-monetized mod that enhances the game's appeal. The speaker contrasts this with other mods that have been taken down due to monetization conflicts with game companies. They also mention the Monster Hunter: Iceborne mod as an example of a mod that has coexisted with its publisher, Capcom, without legal issues, suggesting that their mod aims to do the same for MVCI. The speaker acknowledges the legal rights of game companies to protect their intellectual property but expresses hope that their project will be seen as beneficial to the game's community and sales.

Keywords

💡Multiplayer Mod

A 'Multiplayer Mod' refers to a modification made to a video game that alters its multiplayer aspect, often to enhance or change the gameplay experience. In the video, the speaker discusses an expansive multiplayer mod for 'Modern Warfare Remastered' on PC, which was intended to upgrade the game's features and aesthetics, effectively turning it into a 'Modern Warfare 2 Remastered' experience.

💡Cease and Desist

A 'Cease and Desist' order is a legal directive issued by a party to another party to stop certain activities that are claimed to be potentially harmful or damaging. In the context of the video, the mod creators received a cease and desist from Activision, which halted the release and distribution of the mod, as it was seen as a potential infringement on Activision's intellectual property.

💡Intellectual Property (IP)

Intellectual Property refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, and symbols, names, and images used in commerce. The video discusses how large companies like Activision and Nintendo protect their IP aggressively, often leading to the takedown of mods and fan-made content that use their properties without permission.

💡Monetization

Monetization in the context of video games refers to the strategies used by companies to generate revenue from their products, often through in-game purchases like skins and cosmetics. The speaker mentions that Activision's aggressive protection of its IP is tied to its monetization model, which focuses on selling in-game items and maintaining a centralized hub for these transactions.

💡DMCA

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a United States copyright law that criminalizes production and dissemination of technology, devices, or services intended to circumvent measures that control access to copyrighted works. The video touches on the DMCA's role in protecting IP holders' rights, allowing them to take down content they deem infringing, which can be a contentious issue for modders and content creators.

💡Modding Community

The 'Modding Community' refers to a group of individuals who create and share modifications for video games. The video discusses the challenges faced by this community when their mods are seen as threats to the original game developers' revenue streams, leading to legal actions and the suppression of mod distribution.

💡Game Hub

A 'Game Hub' is a centralized platform where players can access various games, services, and content related to a specific game or franchise. The video mentions Activision's efforts to create a Game Hub to encourage players to engage with their newer titles and make in-game purchases, which can be disrupted by mods that draw players' attention away from these monetized platforms.

💡Cosmetics

In video games, 'Cosmetics' refer to visual enhancements or alterations that do not affect gameplay, such as character skins or weapon designs. The speaker discusses how game companies like Activision encourage players to purchase cosmetics as part of their monetization strategy, which can be undermined by mods that alter the game's appearance without cost.

💡Project M

Project M is a well-known mod for the game 'Super Smash Bros. Brawl' that aimed to improve and expand upon the game's mechanics and content. The video uses Project M as an example of a mod that faced legal challenges due to IP infringement, illustrating the broader issues modders face when their creations conflict with the interests of game publishers.

💡Marvel vs. Capcom

Marvel vs. Capcom is a series of crossover fighting games featuring characters from both Marvel Comics and Capcom's video game franchises. The video discusses the speaker's own mod project for 'Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite' (MVCI), aiming to enhance the game's appeal and community without disrupting Capcom's or Marvel's monetization efforts.

💡Capcom

Capcom is a major video game developer and publisher mentioned in the video. The speaker contrasts the potential reactions of Capcom and Marvel to their mod projects, emphasizing the importance of not disrupting their monetization strategies and maintaining a positive relationship with the companies whose games they are modding.

Highlights

An expansive multiplayer mod called h2m was in development for Modern Warfare remastered on PC, aiming to enhance the game similar to Modern Warfare 2.

The mod was about to release but was cease and desisted by Activision, preventing distribution.

Activision's action was seen as a protection of their intellectual property and monetization model, which the mod could potentially disrupt.

The mod required players to own Modern Warfare remastered, still supporting Activision financially, but this was not enough to prevent the cease and desist.

The speaker expresses understanding of Activision's stance due to the potential impact on their revenue streams from in-game purchases.

Comparison is made to Max's project, which also involves modding but for a different game, raising questions about potential legal challenges.

The speaker discusses the history of Nintendo's aggressive IP protection, which has since moderated but remains a cautionary tale for modders.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of respecting IP holders' rights and the potential legal battles that can arise from DMCA claims.

A distinction is made between mods that support the original game's sales and those that detract from the IP holder's monetization efforts.

The speaker shares their goals for their mod project, which is to enhance and promote the Marvel vs. Capcom game without interrupting Capcom's or Marvel's revenue.

The speaker clarifies that their mod will be free, avoiding any direct monetization that could antagonize the IP holders.

A comparison is made to the Monster Hunter Iceborne mod, which has not been taken down and may have even benefited Capcom by selling more copies of the game.

The speaker outlines two principles to avoid angering Capcom: not making characters inappropriate and not monetizing the mod.

The speaker hopes that their mod will promote positive community health and encourage people to buy and enjoy Marvel vs. Capcom games.

The speaker acknowledges the legal rights of Capcom and Marvel to shut down their project if they see fit, but expresses optimism that their intentions are positive for the franchises.

Transcripts

let's

[Music]

go for those that don't know what's

going on there is a uh there was a

really expansive multiplayer mod coming

out for Modern Warfare remastered on PC

called h2m effectively turning a modern

warfare remastered on PC Call of Duty

into Modern Warfare 2 remastered weapons

like everything movement the game was

effectively getting turned into from

fans a huge visual boost and a ton of

other stuff uh upgrade kind of the

Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer that we

were looking for instead of like new

Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer which was

in MW3 which was fine but not great so

it looked really exciting like wow we

get the the craziness of MW2 finally

with a good looking package and and all

of this [ __ ] that's really cool so it

was about to come out and had been

teased and people have been testing and

all of this stuff was happening and

right as it was about to come out the

makers of the mods got cease and

desisted from Activision telling them to

pull it and not distribute it at all and

that's weird because it was still

requiring you to buy Modern Warfare

remastered it was still requiring you to

pay Activision money to get a game but

it was the fact that that game was going

to be modified right so I've had a lot

of people want to hit me up because hey

Max is doing the exact same thing

I'm doing the exact same thing for a

different kind of game on the opposite

end of the spectrum uh so I respect that

I mean thank you but here's here's my

understanding of this whole situation

not everything is black and white when

it comes to this stuff not everything is

like this way or that way Activision and

the way it's handled their intellectual

IP because they are so big is very

specific they sort of have like a

similar pamil approach that it comes to

like like Nintendo properties it sort of

worked the same way why am I not

surprised I'm going to tell you granted

not not advertising it all that kind of

stuff I get it I get it but still a lot

of people were pretty excited and

granted you know don't get me wrong I'm

99% sure you can find it in some way on

a mass level distribution probably not

available why am I not surprised and why

when I saw that was I so surprised that

oh wow you're will willing to mod Call

of Duty that's crazy here's what was in

my head and I didn't want to say

anything at the time because these

things were entering my my head that

seems scary to me because modern Call of

Duties if not also Modern Warfare

remastered have worked on a specific

monetization and distribution model that

engaged skin buying that engage the

purchase of cosmetics and all of this

kind of stuff Call of Duty has actively

gone out of their way for the past

fiveish years to try to get you to

engage with a centralized Hub of

information and a centralized Hub like a

Game Hub where all of these skins and

everything are shared between stuff

they're trying to like fortnite it right

so why am I not surprised that h2m was

taken down because this literally is an

interruptor to their money flow there is

a good chance that a ton of people that

would be really really big fans of old

school Modern Warfare people like me

which is why I'm I'm excited about it

would have gone out and been like hey

you know [ __ ] a I want to check that

out in Activision's mind that is

actively taking money away from them

they want you to not engage with their

older Call of Duties as much they want

you to engage with their other stuff

that is recently monetizable and their

skins and everything like that right

they've done stuff like this before as

well so when I heard that it was taken

down it was more like God damn it cuz it

did look really exciting but I'm not

surprised because this was actively an

interruptor to their cash flow and don't

get me wrong like I think you still

needed to buy Modern Warfare which still

gives them money but they want more

money than the asking price of a game

you have to get you have to understand

the point of this stuff is that they

want you to go into to their current

games and buy skins and [ __ ] and then

they want to release a new version of

that game and take away all your skins

so that you have to buy new skins all

over again that is actually how their

[ __ ] works so getting a huge amount of

the player base or at least a chug

10,000 people whatever a few thousand

people away from their current

monetization practices seems like oh

that yep that's what they would do

that's exactly what they would do

granted I absolutely do not know what

the situation is right now but but I

guarantee you you can probably play it

but streaming it making content of it

actively engaging with a community of

some kind and like building that

community and stuff you are going to get

[ __ ] attacked by Activision so I

can't stream it I can't really make any

videos on it the literally come after us

Project M style because that encourages

people to go out and find the files and

download it they nuked it dude and

that's what's [ __ ] is that it'll

it'll be aggressively hard to build

communities and make videos and do that

kind of stuff cuz it is impacting their

intellectual property granted when all

this other stuff happens when mods get

pulled down did it prevent everybody

from playing Project M 10 years ago no

people were still playing it you can

still play it but could you stream it

could you make videos of it no dude

Nintendo was down your [ __ ] throat

couldn't even play it on Twitch without

people literally getting banned off the

site it was like wa that's the kind of

situation we're in right now I have

dealt with Activision legal before I'm

not getting into that [ __ ] again it's

all complete [ __ ] it's absolute ass

because they were still making money I

was about literally go buy Modern

Warfare remastered on PC I was about to

go buy it bringing this back around why

is this relevant to me polish well uh

hey we're doing the exact same [ __ ]

thing to a different game we're quite

literally doing the exact same thing on

the opposite end of the Spectrum in the

gaming sphere so a lot of people as soon

as this was cancelled immediately were

hitting me up and saying oh there goes

Max's project too it's over and I would

say that yes yes on a on an outside

level uh it would be kind of scary that

like our shit's going to get taken down

but as I said uh these projects are not

black and white one gets taken down the

others get taken down y Yad y there's

one big difference we are not

interrupting the cash flow of Capcom or

Marvel games we're not in fact I've been

trying to emphatically tell people you

need to go buy mvci you got to go buy it

you have to go buy the DLC you have to

go buy the base game you need to you

need to purchase the core game of NBCI

if you want to enjoy our mod uh and a

lot of people have you know a lot of

people have there is no discernable

active monetization on Old Marvel versus

Capcom games anymore there really is it

you can either just buy it or not buy it

in my head when we were first talking

about how we would distribute this mod

and how it would work granted the things

I'm saying could suddenly be complete

horseshit and not true and we can get CN

DED at any time however I would also

like to tell you that any videos I make

about any video game anytime I stream

any video game anybody streams any video

game anybody makes content about [ __ ]

anything I'd like to tell you that the

people that own the properties and are

the IP holders of all of that [ __ ] are

complete with completely within their

legal right to take you down anything

you make literally anything you make

which is the problem with dmca which is

why it's old AR archaic [ __ ] from the

'90s that you make anything you just

create a a general game playay they are

completely within their legal right to

take you to court and take your [ __ ]

down you can go back to court and argue

it and argue fair use but you have to

convince a jury that the fair use

actually applies here and not all the

time does that [ __ ] win not all the time

does that eventually go through

ultimately a lot of these companies stay

away from that and I'd like to remind

people that there was a company that did

this [ __ ] to its audience early in the

mid-2010s in the mid-2010s a company was

aggressively going after everyone that

was making gameplay videos or any kind

of gameplay featuring characters from

their properties and they were

absolutely huge yes I'm glad I'm not the

only one that forgot this it was

Nintendo Nintendo you could not make

videos of Nintendo games at the time

Nintendo had an agreement where you

became like a Nintendo partner and you

would share Revenue with them of their

IPs and stuff any kind of videos

anything that featured that stuff that

still can happen mind you that still

could happen but you had to be a partner

and you got a portion of the revenue

that video earned for anybody that

doesn't know that didn't fly super well

it did not go over in in a in a very

good way so they kind of like steered

away from that and and didn't go as hard

at the exact same time they were also

going nuts over Project M trying to take

everything Project M down so whatever

the hell was happening at NOA or

Nintendo Japan around that time frame 10

years ago they were were going super

hard on their intellectual IP properties

protection people were really like oo

we're coming after you type [ __ ] it's

like whoa okay and Nintendo is still

very weary about this stuff all over the

place they're still not like you know

easy to work with in this regard but at

least you can put up videos of Smash BRS

and [ __ ] and modded Smash and be fine

with it again I have to remind people

about something smash mods I have to

remind people that this [ __ ] exists and

like uploaded literally daily over the

past year multiple years the era of

people playing Smash Brothers and having

severely modified Smash Brothers either

on their own Hardware or through

emulation has been a thing that has been

going on for so goddamn long it will

blow your mind 1.1 million views from

the Smash Brothers mod that will destroy

your Wii like this is a thing that has

been going on for a very long time did

Nintendo take all of this [ __ ] down they

didn't this is just existed for the

longest time Nintendo knows this [ __ ]

existed this is something that I have to

remind people of all we're doing with

our relationship with Capcom and Marvel

all I want to do with my relationship to

Marvel versus Capcom with mbci as well

as the people that own the properties in

these games Marvel and Capcom all I want

to do is sell copies of your game that

is the goal I want to build the mvci

community that is so poultry and small I

want to get more people playing their

game buying their game buying the DLC

for their game and get them online

fighting each other that is the whole

point and I also have to remind people

that another mod exists for a Capcom

game that has been around for a very

long time and that mod sely changes the

way the whole game works the way the

entire game Flow exists and is also a

mod that only works online with other

people that have the same mod and is for

capcom's best best selling game of all

time it's Monster Hunter world and it's

called Monster Hunter ice mod it is

still distributed it has never been

taken down it just runs guess why it

just runs because icod might have

actually sold more copies of the game it

might actually be making Capcom money in

the long run so again capcom's gotten a

lot of flack for their mod stuff but

there's two general rules that I I am

following with this project as well as

how I understand Capcom mods to work I'm

not making any characters naked I'm

sorry and I have no plans to sell this

[ __ ] we don't have a patreon I am

funding everything of anyone doing any

work myself and when it's distributed

it's going to be completely free so no

money involved no Chun Ley naked no

Marvel characters naked all those things

are very important because when you

suddenly have naked Capcom characters

and their own IPS showing up oh that

pisses people off in Japan really hard

so anyway those are two general

principles that as I understand are the

stuff that have pissed Capcom off in the

past when modders go out and they're

like hey you got to pay me pay me pay me

pay me you got to do this you got to do

this I have a patreon for Capcom mods

Capcom mods specifically to make naked

characters that's where Capcom goes what

what are you doing you are taking money

from people to change the way our

characters look in our game and mass

Distributing it excuse me that [ __ ] will

will immediately grab the attention of

Capcom Big Wigs across seas and locally

what I'm trying to explain is that these

situations are not the same and I truly

hope that I'm not stepping on the toes

and really pissing people off at Capcom

or Marvel I'm I really hope I would like

to think that they would look at someone

like me and a project like this and this

just benefits positive outlook and good

health for Marvel versus Capcom as a

franchise in the whole that's that's all

I hope my goal is just to get people to

like every facet of MVC I love Marvel

versus Capcom it is my it is my baby

next to Killer Instinct you know so all

I want is for people to love MVC games I

like them I like them to play the old

ones we're getting that Capcom is

literally giving us that Marvel 3 cap

dude Marvel 3 modding scene has existed

for five plus years and they've added

like 50 to 100 characters to the game

dude so if they're going to take our

thing down they would have taken that

down ages ago that would have gone away

ages ago we're adding new Marvel

characters to it and [ __ ] Marvel's not

cool with that but it still exists EXs

all this is doing is promoting good

Community Health all it's doing is

promoting people to go buy copies of

Marvel 3 so again compared to h2m these

are very different situations these

games are not actively monetized in a

modern-day situation I would like to

think that Capcom and Marvel games would

be thrilled they would just be thrilled

that more people are buying their

properties and looking at the stuff that

they made and finding more people find

getting enjoyment out of its gameplay

systems and the cool stuff that's my

whole goal man my whole goal is to make

mvci [ __ ] cool my whole goal is to

remind you guys hey this game was

actually kind of sick it didn't look

great but what if it looks great maybe

you'll actually see that it's kind of

sick and it's already happening okay

it's already happening so all I have to

say at the end of this entire thing is

that Capcom and Marvel games are

completely within their legal right to

take my [ __ ] down and to stop us from

working on this project immediately they

absolutely can they also have the right

to stop me from streaming their games

they also have the right to stop me from

making videos of their games as well as

every other company that distributes

anything they are completely in their

legal right to stop me from making

videos about their stuff and I would

have to go to court to argue that I'd

like to say I think we're going to be

[Music]

okay a