Elious loses PokéNational Geographic YouTube channel over Nintendo copyright claims

Nintendo is known for aggressively protecting its brands, and recently YouTuber Elious, the creator of the popular "PokéNational Geographic" series, has been hit with numerous copyright claims from the company. His YouTube channel, which was created in 2023, has more than 100,000 subscribers and is known for its short National Geographic-style documentaries that show Pokémon in their natural habitat.

Elious says he has received dozens of copyright claims from Nintendo of America, and that his channel will be deleted within seven days as a result. Since launching the channel, he has produced videos made specifically with original Pokémon animations, highlighting themes such as hunting and eating Pokémon.

The impact of copyright claims

The fight against the claims has been intense for Elious, who explained in a video on another channel that he has "seven days until my channel gets deleted." As many as twenty of his videos have been claimed, triggering YouTube’s three-strikes system. Under that system, three claims can lead to the channel being blocked.

Elious said he is aware of the claims, but does not fully understand what they mean. He said, "I really don’t understand what that means. Because every Pokémon-related YouTuber uses Pokémon visuals." He considers most of the content, including audio clips shorter than three seconds, to fall under fair use.

Options for Elious

Despite his efforts to resolve the issue, Elious sees few options for further legal action. He also said his videos have opened up career opportunities and helped him develop his animation skills. Even so, the situation is a major blow, as he stands to lose everything he has built over the past three years.

To make matters more complicated, Elious has said he is willing to delete the claimed videos to satisfy Nintendo. However, he stressed that he will miss his channel and the followers who admire his work.

A look at the future

The future of Elious and his creative work remains uncertain. “Of course I download everything,” he said, referring to the videos he made, “but I’ll never be able to upload them again. And I’ll never be able to use this channel again.” He knows the value of his work and finds it painful to accept that his channel will disappear.

Nintendo has also made life difficult for other YouTubers in the past, mainly targeting those who pirate games or stream before official releases. This latest incident can be seen as a continuation of Nintendo’s policy of protecting its intellectual property.

This situation highlights Nintendo’s strict stance on copyright and the major risks content creators face when making work tied to the iconic franchise. As Elious considers his next steps, it also serves as a wake-up call for other creators in the Pokémon community.