Fan Content and Broadcast Guidelines

Lasted updated - 28 August 2019

TL;DR -  we're Facepunch Studios and we made games including Garry's Mod, Rust, Clatter, Chippy, Facepunch prototype games well as our other games, services and products ('Games'). We're cool with you making fan content and video content about our Games ('Fan Content'), but our lawyers said there should be guidelines about how you can do it (see below). If you have any questions, you can reach us at legal@facepunch.com. There are separate guidelines about modding our Games (www.facepunch.com/legal/modding).

SO WHAT CAN I DO WITH FACEPUNCH'S GAMES?

Anything you like (within reason and if it follows these guidelines). Here are some examples:
- Making YouTube videos or streams (more on this below).
- Drawing fanart involving locations from our games and posting this online (e.g. on your own blog or somewhere else).
- Creating a community website, fan page or news group.
- Taking screenshots and share them with friends, or turning them into wallpaper.

If you want to make mods with our Games, then check out our Facepunch Modding Guidelines instead at www.facepunch.com/legal/modding.

WHO OWNS THE FAN CONTENT YOU CREATE BASED ON OUR GAMES?

You do (as between you and us), but we need you to give us certain rights over it so that we can actually transmit it and people can use it together with our Games. So, our legal team asks that you give us a non-exclusive, permanent, irrevocable, worldwide, sub-licensable, royalty-free licence to use, modify, reproduce, create derivative works from, distribute, transmit, perform communicate and exploit your Fan Content in connection with our Games.

Just to be clear, we always own the Games themselves and its contents (such as setting, gameplay and appearance). Please also remember about the Golden Rules described below.

CAN I MAKE VIDEOS/LET'S PLAYS/STREAMS FOR FACEPUNCH'S GAMES?

Yes, do as much as you like as long as they comply with these guidelines. There is an important condition however: monetising via standard revenue on video/streaming/online platforms (including e.g. YouTube/Twitch advertising revenue, or digital content, or subscriptions) is OK, but we are not OK with you monetising it in other ways without our written approval ' this includes using our Games to promote someone else's products or services or on TV or films. For video content at tournaments/events, please see below.

CAN I HAVE TOURNAMENTS, EVENTS OR LAN PARTIES FOR FACEPUNCH'S GAMES?

Yup. Tournaments/events/LAN parties that are for amateurs, not ran to make money and do not have a big prize pool are OK. The same goes for any videos/streams of them too. If you would like to run a public commercial tournament or some other event for our Games that does not follow our Golden Rules below, it's probably still fine but get in touch with us first (legal@facepunch.com).

WHAT ABOUT SELLING PHYSICAL STUFF?

We're OK with that in general terms but it's an area we're thinking about for the future so we reserve the right to issue new rules in the future. Our general thinking is the same as everywhere else - we don't want to get in the way where it doesn't make sense, but what everyone wants is stuff that does something new and adds value to the community (which we're not already providing) and follows the basic rules.

THE GOLDEN RULES:

So everyone is clear, here's some rules we ask everyone to follow:

1. Don't call it 'official'. Your Fan Content should be clear that it's unofficial. Please do not do or say anything which makes anyone think we endorse or support you. The Fan Content you make based on our Games is solely your responsibility.
2. Don't put it in other games/products. Your Fan Content based on our Games should stand on its own ' it should not be incorporated into a third-party game or product (whether or not for commercial use).
3. Don't be a dick. Please be respectful to other players and our Games. Do not do or say anything regarding us or our Games that is illegal or could harm our Games, Facepunch or any other players (e.g. content about cheating in our Games). Your Fan Content can use our Games of course, but please do not infringe the rights of other people or businesses (such as other games, movies, books, TV shows etc.). Cheating, griefing or hacking our Games are strictly prohibited - please see the Facepunch Terms of Service (www.facepunch.com/legal/tos) for more information.
4. Age appropriate. Make sure your Fan Content is suitable for the Games' target audience.
5. Follow the legal rules. These guidelines are our informal guidance to you, but the full legal rules are the Facepunch Terms of Service and Facepunch Privacy Policy at www.facepunch.com/legal. If there is any conflict between these guidelines and those documents, then those documents win. Your ability to create, use and distribute Fan Content based on our Games is at our discretion and we can withdraw it in the future if we think it is necessary, particularly for the protection of Facepunch or our Games. Don't worry, we don't plan to use this arbitrarily or randomly, there has to be sufficient reason, but it's just common sense to point it out.

CHANGES TO THESE GUIDELINES

We expect these guidelines to be updated from time to time as people make new Fan Content based on our Games ' we will post an update online when that happens. Once we change these guidelines, it will become legally binding as soon as it's posted online but you're welcome to contact us at legal@facepunch.com anytime if you have specific questions or concerns about the changes. If you do not agree to those changes, then unfortunately you must stop using our services.  

ANYTHING ELSE?

If something is not clear to you in these guidelines, ask us. If there is anything you think we could add to make it clearer let us know). All rights and other matters not in these guidelines are reserved to us. Again, you can contact us at legal@facepunch.com.