Naughty Dog and Sony Interactive Entertainment are attempting to quash the recent release of the Last of Us Part 2 leaks, not only are they trying to quash the leaks, but they are attempting to silence anyone who even discusses them.
Related: The Last of Us II Story Cutscenes Leak, Partially Confirm Previous 4Chan Rumors
YouTuber Ryan Kinel reports his YouTube channel received a copyright take down and had his video removed for talking about “Anita Sarkeesian and Neil Druckmann’s connection.”
He adds, “I could not believe that just for showing an image that is out there everywhere. Anywhere that you can find right now on the internet there are people making memes about this. About this ma’am sitting there with a golf club after what she had just done to a beloved character. For showing that image and talking about these leaks I get a copyright strike.”
Related: VA Troy Baker Cautions The Last Of Us Part II Players To Be “Open-Minded”
Kinel also details that a second video was also removed on the Gaming with Geeks YouTube channel.
He explains, “Not only did this video get removed here, but this video over here on Gaming with Geeks. Both videos I made. Both get copyright strikes from Naughty Dog because they do not want people figuring out about this game. They do not want people hearing about what they have done.”
Kinel notes that he “didn’t show any videos, all I did was show a couple of still images that are literally being used as memes every second going out on Twitter. On every place where you can get an internet connection people are posting memes because it is a laughing stock.”
What might be more perplexing is that Kinel doesn’t even know the real reason why his video was struck. He questions, “Was it because I talked about the plot or was it because I had a couple of images that were all out there?”
So @Sony and @Naughty_Dog are trying to minimize the damage from these leaks, by DMCAing videos, they just struck my vid on @GamingwGeeks AND on my channel, where I showed video evidence of the Anita Sarkeesian connection. FUCK YOU AND YOUR TRASH GAME #TheLastOfUsPart2 pic.twitter.com/eH7swbpHOB
— Ryan Kinel – RK Outpost (@KinelRyan) April 30, 2020
So for clarification, the GwG video was a copyright strike, the one on my channel was a copyright takedown. All for showing images and talking about leaks that are all over the internet pic.twitter.com/4kzzXo0FqU
— Ryan Kinel – RK Outpost (@KinelRyan) April 30, 2020
Kinel is not alone in reporting that his YouTube videos have been taken down.
YouTuber Mr. H reports that his video covering The Last of Us Part 2 leaks was also struck.
Mr. H explains, “I received a copyright strike. Now, I fought this. I filed counter claims because this is not legal because you are not allowed to do this.”
He detailed he received a copyright strike from Muso TNT Limited. He states, “You are abusing the take down system. You are abusing copyright. And you also are abusing your employees, Naughty Dog, and Muso Limited.”
Jeremy Griggs of Geeks + Gamers reports that his livestream discussing The Last of Us Part II also received a claim in the middle of the stream and was subsequently shut down.
Griggs noted that his stream was shut down at 3:12 A.M. on April 30, 2020.
They just shut my stream down on the main Geeks and Gamers Channel.
Wow.
Fuck Naughty Dog.
— Jeremy Prime (@DDayCobra) April 30, 2020
He detailed that he didn’t show any images or even go into details about the game while sharing a screen shot of the copyright strike.
I showed no images and gave no specific details about The Last Of Us!
What the fuck @TeamYouTube?? pic.twitter.com/DLFdFCWI9K
— Jeremy Prime (@DDayCobra) April 30, 2020
He reiterated that he didn’t show any images and didn’t provide any specifics about the game while noting he was contacting his lawyer.
I’m not doing anything until I talk to my lawyer about this in the morning.
I showed NO IMAGES. I gave NO SPECIFICS about #TheLastofUsPartII, yet my stream was taken DOWN & I was issued a copyright strike on a CLEAN channel
Tag ppl that you think can highlight this story pic.twitter.com/phGNXdJhnO
— Jeremy Prime (@DDayCobra) April 30, 2020
Griggs then noted his lawyer is investigating the situation.
My lawyer is looking into it now. Thanks to everyone that reached out – Also thanks for the videos covering it!
The more attention this gets the worse it will be for Naughty Dog! #TheLastOfUsPart2
— Jeremy Prime (@DDayCobra) April 30, 2020
Another YouTuber SUPERDIVORCE also reported they received a copyright strike while discussing The Last of Us Part II leaks.
Just happened to me, too. First strike I’ve ever received. Unreal. pic.twitter.com/aO09SKLzyG
— 💔SUPERDIVORCE💔 (@superdivorce) April 30, 2020
These copyright strikes are not just affecting YouTubers. Bounding Into Comics also received a DMCA take down notice for our coverage of the leaks.
On April 29th, we received an email from Dariana Hosu from Mosu TNT Ltd on behalf of Sony Interactive Entertainment requesting our entire article covering the leaks be taken down.
The email read in part, ” I hereby demand that you act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the material or items claimed to be infringing.”
On April 30th, we would receive a follow-up email from Ovidiu Suteu of Muso TNT Ltd requesting the article be removed.
That email read in part, “We would appreciate your prompt action in having the following list of files removed in accordance with their original DMCA notices.”
The article in question had YouTube and Twitter videos showcasing the leaked footage. However, at the time of the original email, all of the videos showing the story leaks had already been claimed on YouTube and Twitter.
At the time of the second email, other leaked footage showing short clips of gameplay had already been claimed on Twitter.
Even with the videos showing the leaked footage already unviewable, they demanded the entire article be deleted. It has not been deleted.
Naughty Dog and Sony are doing everything in their power to try and muzzle people who are sharing the leaks or who even attempt to discuss it.
However, they will soon learn that the Streisand Effect is real, and by trying to silence people discussing the leaks, all they have done is brought a much larger spotlight to the leaks.
And maybe more importantly decreased sales because of just how terrible the story for the game really is according to the leaks.