Streaming Policies Adjusted by Square Enix for Dragon Quest Franchise
In response to the increasing popularity of streaming and video game content creation, Square Enix is making changes to its policies regarding the monetization of Dragon Quest franchise content by streamers and creators.
Square Enix is lifting limitations that previously prevented Japanese content creators from monetizing streams and videos that featured its properties. The company referenced Dragon Quest series creator Yuji Horii’s belief that “games are also communication tools.”
“Communication has changed with the times, and communication through networks is now quite commonplace,” said Square Enix. “Distribution of videogames on the internet is becoming more popular as one of the fun ways to play games, just like conversations with friends.”
While Dragon Quest was the primary focus of these changes, more adjustments are expected to follow.
Square Enix stated, “The Dragon Quest series has taken a positive view of these changes and has already released guidelines for video, live streaming, and image posting in each of the games. We hope that these guidelines will enhance your communication and make the Dragon Quest series even more enjoyable.”
For Dragon Quest XI S, there are specific guidelines in place, including the requirement for spoiler warnings alongside major plot developments. These guidelines can be found on the official Dragon Quest website.
It’s important to note that these changes only apply to streamers located in Japan, as content laws in the country differ significantly compared to Western countries like the U.S. Other companies, such as Nintendo and Sega, have also made similar adjustments in recent years after initially restricting creators from making content based on their games.
Sega and Persona developer Atlus received backlash when streamers and creators were initially restricted from featuring Persona 5 content due to guidelines aimed at limiting online spoilers for fans who hadn’t played the game. However, these restrictions have since been lifted, demonstrating a shift in the companies’ understanding of restricting content on their games.