Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game talk show. This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Tina Amini, Sam Claiborn, and Justin Davis -- are discussing the big advancements of this console generation, a "new" Fire Emblem, British retro gaming, and so much more. The music in this episode is from Super Castlevania IV and Symphony of the Night. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher   Find previous episodes here!

The latest issue of Marvel’s X-Men comic just changed everything we thought we know about longtime mutant villain Apocalypse. The powerhouse bad guy has enacted numerous evil plans over the years that all stem from his “survival of the fittest” mantra, and while he has often touted various philosophical reasons for why the weak must perish so the strong can survive, we now know the real reason that ideology means so much to him in the first place. Before we get into the big reveal, it’s important to know that the X-Men’s current status quo is quite different from what you may be used to. Currently, all mutants live together on the mutant island nation of Krakoa. This includes all villainous mutants, who were given a pardon by Charles Xavier, so now Apocalypse is not only an ally of the X-Men but he sits on their governing council and is a key player in the future of mutantkind. If you want to know more, this video recaps everything you need to know about the current state of the X-Men: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/09/marvels-x-men-now-have-a-bold-new-status-quo-ign-now"] Now, let’s dig into the big news about Apocalypse. Warning: beware of full spoilers for X-Men #13, the entire X of Swords event, and pretty much every X-Men comic from the past 40 years!

The New Origin of Apocalypse

The origin of Apocalypse has undergone major changes since writer Jonathan Hickman kicked off his X-Men run in 2019, and now the ongoing X of Swords crossover event by Hickman and Tini Howard puts Apocalypse front and center to reveal his true beginnings. Apocalypse was originally styled as a diabolical mutant from ancient Egypt who went on to become a tyrant bent on world domination, and all of that still stands, but this new era of X-Men fleshes him out with a richer and more nuanced backstory. As it turns out, back in ancient times Apocalypse was actually a defender of Earth who battled all sorts of monstrous foes to keep it safe. Fighting alongside him was a wife we never knew he had named Genesis, a powerful mutant with the ability to manipulate plant life. The couple had four children with incredible powers of their own, who went on to become the first iteration of Apocalypse’s Four Horsemen. Together, this family ruled over and defended the mutant island nation Okkara. [caption id="attachment_2429162" align="alignnone" width="720"] Apocalypse's wife and kids. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Everything changed when Apocalypse and his family were drawn into a war to stop demons invading Earth from another dimension called Amenth. The demons’ leader Annihilation used a weapon called the Twilight Sword to strike Okkara in two, with the half named Arakko falling into the dark dimension and Krakoa remaining on the earthly realm. The two armies fought to a standstill and eventually met to parley, and the result was Annihilation offering to end the conflict in exchange for a show of strength from the mutants. Ultimately, Genesis stepped forward, volunteering herself and her children to travel into the dark dimension to stand guard on Arakko, sealing the breach behind them. Apocalypse said he wanted to join her, but she denied him, speaking the words that would go on to define one of Marvel’s greatest villains: “And yet, we both know you can’t, my love. You’re not strong enough.” [caption id="attachment_2429164" align="alignnone" width="604"] Harsh. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Genesis charged Apocalypse with staying behind and using the time their sacrifice would buy to make the world strong enough to stand against their demonic enemies. “Judge them,” Genesis said. “So that they--that you--become what we need. See that only the fittest remain.” And with that, Apocalypse was left alone, sad, and traumatically motivated to toughen up the world by whatever means necessary.

A New Perspective on Apocalypse

With this revelation, we can look back on all of Apocalypse’s evil schemes in a new light. Obviously this is quite the big retcon, and some stories fit into this new context better than others, but ultimately what this fundamental change offers is an emotional reason for Apocalypse’s fanatical devotion to extreme Social Darwinism. Every plan he’s ever hatched while preaching that “survival of the fittest” mantra was done in tribute to his one true love and his lost family. And while Apocalypse clearly went way too far time and time again, we now know that he was secretly acting with the world’s best interest in mind. It was his personal mission to make the world strong enough to repel the demons when they inevitably invaded again. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=x-of-swords-every-comic-in-marvels-epic-x-men-crossover&captions=true"] This isn’t to say that Apocalypse is now retroactively redeemed and absolved of his countless sins. All that blood is still on his big blue hands, but now we have a greater understanding of why he would go to such great lengths to change the world. He was told he was weak, and everything he’s done since that moment was done in service of becoming strong--and making the world strong--so the loss of his loved ones wouldn’t be in vain. But given how he went about it, it’s clear that Apocalypse overcompensated for his own weakness by becoming a monster. In classic tragic villain fashion, he became a threat to the very world he had pledged to protect.

The Future of Apocalypse

This Apocalypse history lesson came in X-Men #13 by Hickman and artists Mahmud Asrar and Sunny Gho, which is the tenth chapter in the X of Swords crossover event. The event kicked off when, you guessed it, the breach in dimensions opened back up and the denizens of Arakko returned. Only, when Apocalypse was reunited with his children, they turned on him and tried to kill him. Apocalypse managed to escape with grievous wounds, leaving the X-Men to stand up to the invaders of Arakko. [caption id="attachment_2429168" align="alignnone" width="720"] That's one way to sort out daddy issues. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Rather than engage in an all-out war, the controller of the nexus of reality Saturnyne staged a contest where the 10 best sword fighters from each side would duke it out to decide a winner. Kind of like a Mortal Kombat tournament. Apocalypse was one of the chosen combatants, but he wasn’t exactly in fighting shape after being attacked, so the X-Men’s healers set to work on fixing him. We saw Apocalypse in a rare state, shrieking in pain with tears streaming down his face. And it was in this vulnerable state that En Sabah Nur finally revealed his tragic backstory -- and why he must be strong. With Apocalypse recovered, he set out to reclaim his fearsome sword The Scarab from an ancient Egyptian pyramid, and now he’s poised to fight in the contest, so we’ll finally get to see if he’s strong enough. [caption id="attachment_2429169" align="alignnone" width="720"] Apocalypse has joined the fight. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] If you want to hop into this x-citing Marvel event, check out our guide on everything you need to know to read X of Swords. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is a Senior Editor and Producer of Features at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Star Wars are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

The latest issue of Marvel’s X-Men comic just changed everything we thought we know about longtime mutant villain Apocalypse. The powerhouse bad guy has enacted numerous evil plans over the years that all stem from his “survival of the fittest” mantra, and while he has often touted various philosophical reasons for why the weak must perish so the strong can survive, we now know the real reason that ideology means so much to him in the first place. Before we get into the big reveal, it’s important to know that the X-Men’s current status quo is quite different from what you may be used to. Currently, all mutants live together on the mutant island nation of Krakoa. This includes all villainous mutants, who were given a pardon by Charles Xavier, so now Apocalypse is not only an ally of the X-Men but he sits on their governing council and is a key player in the future of mutantkind. If you want to know more, this video recaps everything you need to know about the current state of the X-Men: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/09/marvels-x-men-now-have-a-bold-new-status-quo-ign-now"] Now, let’s dig into the big news about Apocalypse. Warning: beware of full spoilers for X-Men #13, the entire X of Swords event, and pretty much every X-Men comic from the past 40 years!

The New Origin of Apocalypse

The origin of Apocalypse has undergone major changes since writer Jonathan Hickman kicked off his X-Men run in 2019, and now the ongoing X of Swords crossover event by Hickman and Tini Howard puts Apocalypse front and center to reveal his true beginnings. Apocalypse was originally styled as a diabolical mutant from ancient Egypt who went on to become a tyrant bent on world domination, and all of that still stands, but this new era of X-Men fleshes him out with a richer and more nuanced backstory. As it turns out, back in ancient times Apocalypse was actually a defender of Earth who battled all sorts of monstrous foes to keep it safe. Fighting alongside him was a wife we never knew he had named Genesis, a powerful mutant with the ability to manipulate plant life. The couple had four children with incredible powers of their own, who went on to become the first iteration of Apocalypse’s Four Horsemen. Together, this family ruled over and defended the mutant island nation Okkara. [caption id="attachment_2429162" align="alignnone" width="720"] Apocalypse's wife and kids. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Everything changed when Apocalypse and his family were drawn into a war to stop demons invading Earth from another dimension called Amenth. The demons’ leader Annihilation used a weapon called the Twilight Sword to strike Okkara in two, with the half named Arakko falling into the dark dimension and Krakoa remaining on the earthly realm. The two armies fought to a standstill and eventually met to parley, and the result was Annihilation offering to end the conflict in exchange for a show of strength from the mutants. Ultimately, Genesis stepped forward, volunteering herself and her children to travel into the dark dimension to stand guard on Arakko, sealing the breach behind them. Apocalypse said he wanted to join her, but she denied him, speaking the words that would go on to define one of Marvel’s greatest villains: “And yet, we both know you can’t, my love. You’re not strong enough.” [caption id="attachment_2429164" align="alignnone" width="604"] Harsh. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Genesis charged Apocalypse with staying behind and using the time their sacrifice would buy to make the world strong enough to stand against their demonic enemies. “Judge them,” Genesis said. “So that they--that you--become what we need. See that only the fittest remain.” And with that, Apocalypse was left alone, sad, and traumatically motivated to toughen up the world by whatever means necessary.

A New Perspective on Apocalypse

With this revelation, we can look back on all of Apocalypse’s evil schemes in a new light. Obviously this is quite the big retcon, and some stories fit into this new context better than others, but ultimately what this fundamental change offers is an emotional reason for Apocalypse’s fanatical devotion to extreme Social Darwinism. Every plan he’s ever hatched while preaching that “survival of the fittest” mantra was done in tribute to his one true love and his lost family. And while Apocalypse clearly went way too far time and time again, we now know that he was secretly acting with the world’s best interest in mind. It was his personal mission to make the world strong enough to repel the demons when they inevitably invaded again. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=x-of-swords-every-comic-in-marvels-epic-x-men-crossover&captions=true"] This isn’t to say that Apocalypse is now retroactively redeemed and absolved of his countless sins. All that blood is still on his big blue hands, but now we have a greater understanding of why he would go to such great lengths to change the world. He was told he was weak, and everything he’s done since that moment was done in service of becoming strong--and making the world strong--so the loss of his loved ones wouldn’t be in vain. But given how he went about it, it’s clear that Apocalypse overcompensated for his own weakness by becoming a monster. In classic tragic villain fashion, he became a threat to the very world he had pledged to protect.

The Future of Apocalypse

This Apocalypse history lesson came in X-Men #13 by Hickman and artists Mahmud Asrar and Sunny Gho, which is the tenth chapter in the X of Swords crossover event. The event kicked off when, you guessed it, the breach in dimensions opened back up and the denizens of Arakko returned. Only, when Apocalypse was reunited with his children, they turned on him and tried to kill him. Apocalypse managed to escape with grievous wounds, leaving the X-Men to stand up to the invaders of Arakko. [caption id="attachment_2429168" align="alignnone" width="720"] That's one way to sort out daddy issues. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] Rather than engage in an all-out war, the controller of the nexus of reality Saturnyne staged a contest where the 10 best sword fighters from each side would duke it out to decide a winner. Kind of like a Mortal Kombat tournament. Apocalypse was one of the chosen combatants, but he wasn’t exactly in fighting shape after being attacked, so the X-Men’s healers set to work on fixing him. We saw Apocalypse in a rare state, shrieking in pain with tears streaming down his face. And it was in this vulnerable state that En Sabah Nur finally revealed his tragic backstory -- and why he must be strong. With Apocalypse recovered, he set out to reclaim his fearsome sword The Scarab from an ancient Egyptian pyramid, and now he’s poised to fight in the contest, so we’ll finally get to see if he’s strong enough. [caption id="attachment_2429169" align="alignnone" width="720"] Apocalypse has joined the fight. (Image Source: Marvel Comics)[/caption] If you want to hop into this x-citing Marvel event, check out our guide on everything you need to know to read X of Swords. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is a Senior Editor and Producer of Features at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Star Wars are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

The Suicide Squad director James Gunn has just given fans a closer look at the DC movie's full roster. Gunn tweeted out the cover image to the December 2020 issue of Empire magazine, which features the entire ensemble cast gathered together: Gunn teases the new issue (which is due out on Thursday, October 29) will feature more new images from the film, along with some revealing interviews with various cast members. As revealed at DC FanDome in August, The Suicide Squad's cast includes Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, John Cena as Peacemaker, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher II, Steve Agee as King Shark (mo-cap) and John Economos, Sean Gunn as Weasel (mo-cap), Flula Borg as Javelin, Nathan Fillion as TDK, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Pete Davidson as Blackguard, Alice Braga as Solsoria, Mayling Ng as Mongal and Michael Rooker as Savant. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-suicide-squad-whos-who-full-cast-and-character-reveals&captions=true"] Nearly all of those characters are showcased on the Empire cover. Strangely, Viola Davis' Amanda Waller is MIA, which could suggest Waller has a smaller role in The Suicide Squad than its predecessor. Or maybe Waller would just seem too normal amid a sea of flamboyantly dressed D-List supervillains. The Suicide Squad is currently scheduled to his theaters on August 6, 2021. But as with so many theatrical releases these days, it remains to be seen how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact that schedule. We've already seen Warner Bros. push back the release dates for Wonder Woman 1984 and The Batman multiple times. The Suicide Squad is also getting an HBO Max spinoff series focused on John Cena's Peacemaker. We'll have to see if Empire's cover story reveals anything new about that project. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/the-suicide-squad-behind-the-scenes-teaser-dc-fandome"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The Suicide Squad director James Gunn has just given fans a closer look at the DC movie's full roster. Gunn tweeted out the cover image to the December 2020 issue of Empire magazine, which features the entire ensemble cast gathered together: Gunn teases the new issue (which is due out on Thursday, October 29) will feature more new images from the film, along with some revealing interviews with various cast members. As revealed at DC FanDome in August, The Suicide Squad's cast includes Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, John Cena as Peacemaker, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher II, Steve Agee as King Shark (mo-cap) and John Economos, Sean Gunn as Weasel (mo-cap), Flula Borg as Javelin, Nathan Fillion as TDK, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Pete Davidson as Blackguard, Alice Braga as Solsoria, Mayling Ng as Mongal and Michael Rooker as Savant. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-suicide-squad-whos-who-full-cast-and-character-reveals&captions=true"] Nearly all of those characters are showcased on the Empire cover. Strangely, Viola Davis' Amanda Waller is MIA, which could suggest Waller has a smaller role in The Suicide Squad than its predecessor. Or maybe Waller would just seem too normal amid a sea of flamboyantly dressed D-List supervillains. The Suicide Squad is currently scheduled to his theaters on August 6, 2021. But as with so many theatrical releases these days, it remains to be seen how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact that schedule. We've already seen Warner Bros. push back the release dates for Wonder Woman 1984 and The Batman multiple times. The Suicide Squad is also getting an HBO Max spinoff series focused on John Cena's Peacemaker. We'll have to see if Empire's cover story reveals anything new about that project. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/the-suicide-squad-behind-the-scenes-teaser-dc-fandome"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The PlayStation 5's faceplates will be removable, and while Sony has yet to announce any plans to release official variations of the standard white color, a third-party company has already created and put some up for pre-order that are set to ship on or before PS5's release date of November 12, 2020. PlateStation 5, who is "not affiliated in any way with Sony, PlayStation, or the PlayStation 5 brand," is offering five new faceplate options for new PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition owners, including Cherry Red, Chromatic, Indigo Blue, Jungle Camo, and Limited Edition V1 Matte Black. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=platestation-5-unofficial-ps5-and-ps5-digital-edition-faceplates&captions=true"] Each faceplate retails for $39.99, and the team behind PlateStation 5 has said that this site was "born out of the single desire to create a Matte Black custom faceplate, simply because we believes it was what the PS5 community deserved." As they were building it out, the community and their partnering manufactures inspired them to make the other options as well. Sony gave us our best look at the removable faceplates with its PS5 teardown video, and this new aspect of the PS5 have many wondering if/when Sony will offer other official options and what this will mean for limited edition consoles. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/09/biggest-ps5-teardown-takeaways-next-gen-console-watch"] The PlayStation 5 will be released on November 12, 2020, and will launch alongside such games as Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon's Souls, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and much more. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The PlayStation 5's faceplates will be removable, and while Sony has yet to announce any plans to release official variations of the standard white color, a third-party company has already created and put some up for pre-order that are set to ship on or before PS5's release date of November 12, 2020. PlateStation 5, who is "not affiliated in any way with Sony, PlayStation, or the PlayStation 5 brand," is offering five new faceplate options for new PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition owners, including Cherry Red, Chromatic, Indigo Blue, Jungle Camo, and Limited Edition V1 Matte Black. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=platestation-5-unofficial-ps5-and-ps5-digital-edition-faceplates&captions=true"] Each faceplate retails for $39.99, and the team behind PlateStation 5 has said that this site was "born out of the single desire to create a Matte Black custom faceplate, simply because we believes it was what the PS5 community deserved." As they were building it out, the community and their partnering manufactures inspired them to make the other options as well. Sony gave us our best look at the removable faceplates with its PS5 teardown video, and this new aspect of the PS5 have many wondering if/when Sony will offer other official options and what this will mean for limited edition consoles. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/09/biggest-ps5-teardown-takeaways-next-gen-console-watch"] The PlayStation 5 will be released on November 12, 2020, and will launch alongside such games as Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon's Souls, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and much more. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Sorry Mindhunter fans: a third season of David Fincher's Netflix crime drama is looking unlikely after the director says a new season is likely not something Netflix will want to pursue due to cost and viewership. Speaking to Vulture about his latest movie, Mank, director David Fincher said Mindhunter is probably over. He explained to Vulture that the process of making Mindhunter was exhausting and that for the viewership the show had, it was too expensive — likely too expensive for a third season to receive a green light. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=10-real-serial-killers-featured-in-mindhunter-season-2&captions=true"] "I think probably," Fincher told Vulture when asked if he thought the show was done. "Listen, for the viewership that it had, it was an expensive show. We talked about, 'Finish Mank and then see how you feel,' but I honestly don't think we're going to be able to do it for less than I did season two. And on some level, you have to be realistic about dollars have to equal eyeballs." He also told Vulture that making Mindhunter, or at least season two of it, was exhausting. Fincher said the first season of the show was completed without a showrunner, "with me pinch-hitting on a week-by-week basis." When the director received scripts for season two, he didn't like what was written so the scripts were tossed and an assistant director he'd worked with before, Courtenay Miles, was brought in as co-showrunner for the second season. "But it's a 90-hour workweek," Fincher said, telling Vulture Mindhunter was a lot for him. "It absorbs everything in your life. When I got done, I was pretty exhausted, and I said, 'I don't know if I have it in me right now to break season three." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=netflixs-mindhunter-season-2-images&captions=true"] Between the exhaustion and financial challenge of a possible third season, Fincher seems to believe a season three isn't in the cards. This doesn't come as a major surprise as back in January, cast members were released from their contracts with Netflix. If you haven't yet watched Mindhunter, read our thoughts on the first season in our Mindhunter Season 1 review and then check out our thoughts on the second season in our Mindhunter Season 2 review. Be sure to check out all of the serial killers featured in the show's second season and who played them after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Sorry Mindhunter fans: a third season of David Fincher's Netflix crime drama is looking unlikely after the director says a new season is likely not something Netflix will want to pursue due to cost and viewership. Speaking to Vulture about his latest movie, Mank, director David Fincher said Mindhunter is probably over. He explained to Vulture that the process of making Mindhunter was exhausting and that for the viewership the show had, it was too expensive — likely too expensive for a third season to receive a green light. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=10-real-serial-killers-featured-in-mindhunter-season-2&captions=true"] "I think probably," Fincher told Vulture when asked if he thought the show was done. "Listen, for the viewership that it had, it was an expensive show. We talked about, 'Finish Mank and then see how you feel,' but I honestly don't think we're going to be able to do it for less than I did season two. And on some level, you have to be realistic about dollars have to equal eyeballs." He also told Vulture that making Mindhunter, or at least season two of it, was exhausting. Fincher said the first season of the show was completed without a showrunner, "with me pinch-hitting on a week-by-week basis." When the director received scripts for season two, he didn't like what was written so the scripts were tossed and an assistant director he'd worked with before, Courtenay Miles, was brought in as co-showrunner for the second season. "But it's a 90-hour workweek," Fincher said, telling Vulture Mindhunter was a lot for him. "It absorbs everything in your life. When I got done, I was pretty exhausted, and I said, 'I don't know if I have it in me right now to break season three." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=netflixs-mindhunter-season-2-images&captions=true"] Between the exhaustion and financial challenge of a possible third season, Fincher seems to believe a season three isn't in the cards. This doesn't come as a major surprise as back in January, cast members were released from their contracts with Netflix. If you haven't yet watched Mindhunter, read our thoughts on the first season in our Mindhunter Season 1 review and then check out our thoughts on the second season in our Mindhunter Season 2 review. Be sure to check out all of the serial killers featured in the show's second season and who played them after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Update: Twitch has proceeded to delete a wave of videos from partnered streamers earlier this week in its strongest action against copyrighted content yet. Streamers had no say in Twitch's decision to mass ban content found to include copyright-infringing material. Streamer Devin Nash posted an email they received from Twitch that informed them, and many others, that their videos have been deleted. "We are writing to inform you that your channel was subject to one or more of these DMCA takedown notifications and that the content identified has been deleted," the email states. "We recognize that by deleting this content, we are not giving you the option to file a counter-notification or seek a retraction from the rights holder."

It is INSANE that @Twitch informs partners they deleted their content - and that there is more content in violation despite having NO identification system to find out what it is. Their solution to DMCA is for creators to delete their life's work. This is pure, gross negligence. pic.twitter.com/mhdXU5lEc5

— Devin (@DevinNash) October 20, 2020

Twitch's email says that in lieu of a counter-notification, streamers should treat the email as a warning and to learn more about Twitch's copyright policy. "It is insane that Twitch informs partners they deleted their content - and that there is more content in violation despite having no identification system to find out what it is," Nash wrote in a tweet. "Their solution to DMCA is for creators to delete their life's work. This is pure, gross negligence." The decision by Twitch to enforce DMCA on content has incited panic among streamers. Especially since many of them are not fully aware which of their videos might contain copyrighted material. Some are worried that Twitch will ban their channels completely if they fail to expunge copyrighted content, which might require streamers to scrub through hundreds of hours of their videos to find. "So Twitch just threatened my account with termination if I ever get DMCA'd again," writes streamer @BikiniBodhi. "They didn't tell me what got striked, Nor did they... tell me who issued it... so I can't even appeal/remove the strike."

So @Twitch just threatened my account with termination if I ever get DMCA'd again,

They didn't tell me what got striked, Nor did they didn't tell me who issued it. (for all I know it could be a random person), so I can't even appeal/remove the strike. Really @TwitchSupport? — BikiniBOOdhi FNATIC (@BikiniBodhi) October 20, 2020

In the meantime, streamers are sharing third-party tools that will let them mass download their videos in case something happens to their channel. Meanwhile, Twitch says it's continuing to develop tools to help creators navigate DMCA. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Original Story: Last month Twitch streamers found themselves hit with a wave of DMCA takedown requests for clips that feature licensed music. For creators with hundreds of clips saved featuring various music in the background, this became a huge headache as they were asked to manually remove violating clips, which for some could be as many as hundreds of videos saved.

What Is DMCA?

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a federal law that’s become quite infamous with the rise of social media services, particularly YouTube. Essentially, it gives the copyright owners the ability to call out unlicensed use of its products and request they be taken down. While YouTube creators are familiar with the DMCA Twitch’s situation is unique in that the requests seem to come all at once, very quickly. Twitch’s official Support account acknowledged the takedown requests, but simply advised users to remove those clips. For users with large archives, Twitch says it’s “working to make this easier.”

Twitch’s DMCA Guidelines

Twitch’s guidelines on DMCA states that “It is our policy to respond to clear notices of claimed copyright infringement that fully comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. In addition, we will promptly terminate without notice the accounts of those determined by us to be “repeat infringers”.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ninja-career-highlights&captions=true"]

How Does DMCA Affect Streamers?

The DMCA is infamous, but it’s also misunderstood. The Act primarily protects the interests of the copyright holder while also giving protections to digital platforms that would previously be liable for hosting copyrighted content that was uploaded without their knowledge. “Most people think of the DMCA as something used against infringers,” says David Hoppe, Managing Partner at SF-based Media/Tech law firm Gamma Law. “But actually DMCA takedown requests are not sent to infringers. DMCA takedown requests are sent by copyright owners to sites that have content posted by users, and that content infringes the copyright. This could be a product review on Amazon, an essay posted on Medium or a YouTube video, for example.” The purpose of the DMCA is to protect those platform owners, like YouTube or Twitch, from liability from the copyright holder, in case a user on the platform posts infringing content. “Any legitimate site will take a takedown request seriously and notify the user to take the content down so that the site will not have the risk of being sued by the copyright owner,” Hoppe says.”

Is there Free Music Twitch Streamers Can Use? Yes.

Twitch has rolled out a new feature called Soundtrack by Twitch which lets creators easily find rights-cleared music that integrates with streaming software. The Soundtrack Library makes it so that streamers can play music on top of their videos without worrying about DMCA Takedowns, because all the songs included has already been cleared legally. A version of the Soundtrack tool is already available for OBS.

What Can Content Creators Do If They’re Hit With a DMCA Takedown Request?

Hoppe says that creators, like streamers, can send a counter-notice through the platform and their content will be put back up. “The copyright owner then has a limited time within which to file a lawsuit against the user. So if the creator gets a counter-notice back, they have to decide quickly whether it’s worth escalating to a lawsuit. Otherwise, the content could just stay up indefinitely.” While platform holders will followthrough with DMCA takedown requests, there are steps creators can take if their content is taken down. However, these extra steps could lead to further litigation. “The [content creator] will have to evaluate the legitimacy of the takedown request. If there is a credible claim that the creator’s content infringes on the other party’s copyright? If there is no credible basis, then the creator should file a counter-notice, and the site will be required to put the content back up. If it’s a closer call and there could be infringement, then the creator should consult a copyright lawyer and make the decision whether to file the counter-notice and possibly wind up in court.” [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.