#WEEDCRAFT INC GUIDE PLUS#

'But we were like, 'YouTubers are gonna love this game.' And they did. 'We knew this wouldn't really be a Twitch game and that Twitch, you know, being Amazon, would also be weird about the content,' Wilson said. If we find a video that violates our policies, we remove ads.'ĭevolver didn't even try to promote the game on Amazon's streaming site, Twitch. YouTube's spokesperson clarified its stance further, saying, 'We have clear policies that govern what videos may show ads, and content that features the sale or use of illegal or regulated drugs is not suitable for advertising. Wilson argues the game isn't pro-weed, but rather an honest look at a new and complex industry. strays too far from the 'educational' side of the cannabis industry for YouTube's tastes. Videos discussing drugs or dangerous substances for educational, documentary, and artistic purposes are generally suitable for advertising, so long as drug use or substance abuse is not graphic or glorified.Īpparently, Weedcraft Inc. Video content that promotes or features the sale, use, or abuse of illegal drugs, regulated drugs or substances, or other dangerous products is not suitable for advertising. In the age of social-media buzz and streaming culture, this is a big blow to Weedcraft Inc.'s marketing plans.Ī YouTube spokesperson pointed Engadget to the company's ' Drugs and Dangerous Products or Substances' policy, which reads as follows: Videos of people playing the game have been demonetized, meaning it isn't worthwhile for some creators to play the game or upload streams. We'll are always working to improve our enforcement in these areas.' 'We review each ad individually and have strict policies around drug sales, which have led to errors in this case. 'We re-reviewed ads from this game and determined they don't violate our policies,' the spokesperson said. A spokesperson said the company would review ways to prevent a similar situation for Devolver in the future. ads after Engadget reached out for this story. Eventually, though, 'the guy trying had his ad account removed or banned or something,' Wilson said, and Devolver's social media team couldn't get a hold of an actual human at Facebook to dispute the issue.įacebook reversed its ban on Weedcraft Inc. Representatives from some of these stores told Devolver they would sell the game, but they wouldn't promote it in any way.ĭevolver sent around 10 ads to Facebook, tweaking each one to ensure it didn't feature depictions of smoking or other prohibited activities. But for other, unnamed digital distributors and platform holders, it's toxic. Steam has a notoriously lax approach to moderation, allowing every game that isn't illegal or 'straight-up trolling' onto the store. is available on Steam and GOG, and Steam even featured it on the front page on launch day. And I just thought it was an interesting, shocking commentary on the games industry and also the culture. 'Even though we do a lot of other types of games, but it's just, we've not run into any of this trouble with literally any game we've ever done. 'Devolver, you know we're mostly known for games where you kill everyone in sight,' Wilson said. 'We've not run into any of this trouble with literally any game we've ever done.'

#WEEDCRAFT INC GUIDE PLUS#

It's a classic tycoon game with a THC twist, and as head writer Scott Alexander told Engadget in February, it's a commentary on the real-life hypocrisy and humanity buffeting the cannabis industry.Īs of April 2019, marijuana is legal, in some way, in 34 states (that's already one more since we talked to Alexander in February) plus DC, Guam, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and legalization is consistently on the ballot in most regions across the United States. features a bit of stoner humor, but its main focus is on the business of legal weed sales, challenging players to build an empire amid all of the political, legal and social roadblocks in their way under current law. Throughout his career, Wilson has been able to sell ultra-violent and sexualized games, but apparently, marijuana is a different beast. Wilson has a long history in the games industry, starting in 1996 at id Software, where he oversaw marketing efforts for Doom and Quake, all the way through founding Devolver in 2008 and seeing success with titles like Hotline Miami and Serious Sam HD. 'But cumulatively, it's like, how in the fuck is this the hardest game I've ever marketed?' 'All of these things one at a time have just been like, 'Oh that sucks. Update your settings here, then reload the page to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences.

Weedcraft inc guide