News hit the gaming media yesterday about a shady advertising arrangement between Microsoft and Machinima that let YouTube video partners earn additional revenue, if they promoted the Xbox One. As the controversy and seemingly unethical agreement outraged many, the two companies issued a joint statement regarding the deal.
According to the statement “this partnership between Machinima and Microsoft was a typical marketing partnership to promote Xbox One in December.” It was also noted that “The Xbox team does not review any specific content or provide feedback on content. Any confidentiality provisions, terms or other guidelines are standard documents provided by Machinima. For clarity, confidentiality relates to the agreements themselves, not the existence of the promotion.”
Microsoft tries to stay out of the scandal, stating that the company was “not aware of individual contracts Machinima had with their content providers as part of the promotion.” Machinima on the other hand, speaking with the Wall Street Journal, said that these deals usually require video partners to identify that they are part of the promotion and that they are “evaluating why” this clause wasn’t in the official agreement for the XB1M13 deal.
Video partners were asked to add disclaimers to their videos that they were part of the XB1M13 promotion. Even though the two companies are trying their best to not face legal suits, the facts are there. The only question that remains is, now that we can’t trust even YouTube videos, who do we trust?
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