General
Street Fighter V Licensing Overhaul After Esports Uproar
Capcom, the renowned video game publisher, recently changed its Street Fighter V Community Licence Agreement significantly. This decision came in the wake of substantial backlash from the game’s dedicated fanbase.
Initially, Capcom introduced its esports licensing rules in late February, aiming to streamline the process for tournament organizers wishing to establish new events. The primary purpose of this license agreement was to set forth a series of criteria. If these were met, it would grant tournaments the right to utilize Street Fighter V imagery and broadcast the event on Twitch without the need for explicit permission from Capcom.
However, this move was not well-received by the game’s esports community. Many voiced concerns that the criteria set by Capcom were overly stringent. This widespread discontent prompted Capcom to reconsider and subsequently revise the rules.
In a recent update shared on Capcom’s official website, the company admitted to its shortcomings, stating,
“We acknowledge that we could have handled the situation better.”
Following this acknowledgment, Capcom introduced several changes to the agreement:
- Prize Pool Limit Increase: The prize pool limit for events has been raised from USD 2,000 to USD 10,000. Additionally, the yearly USD 10,000 prize pool cap has been removed.
- Sponsorship Limit Augmentation: The sponsorship limit for individual events has been increased from USD 5,000 to USD 6,000, and the yearly sponsorship limit has been boosted from USD 20,000 to USD 30,000.
- Alterations in Spectator Fee and Venue Restrictions: Changes have been made to both spectator fee guidelines and venue restrictions, especially concerning bars.
One of the most debated points of contention was Capcom’s initial stipulation that any organizer hosting a Street Fighter V event would, by default, grant Capcom a royalty-free license to use and broadcast footage from the matches. This clause has now been removed. The original wording, which allowed Capcom an
“irrevocable, royalty-free license to use, distribute, and stream Match Footage,”
has been modified. The revised clause states that Capcom might reach out to organizers to seek permission to feature short excerpts from the event on its official platforms to promote the game and the brand.
In explaining its rationale behind publishing the license agreement, Capcom emphasized its intent to clarify requirements and expedite the approval process for a no-cost license. They acknowledged that past approval processes for community events featuring Street Fighter V: Champion Edition had been tediously long. Capcom’s primary goal with these changes is to allow tournament organizers to concentrate more on hosting exceptional events and spend less time on approvals.
Capcom expressed gratitude towards its passionate fanbase for their invaluable feedback. The company reiterated its commitment to honoring the grassroots tradition of the Street Fighter community. They concluded by stating,
“To this end, we have updated the Street Fighter V Community License Agreement, taking into account the feedback we received from the community while maintaining our original goal to provide a no-cost license.”
Image source: Capcom Official
