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| Sure, why not? I've got nothing better to do... |
In this video, YouTube channel Gameology use professional parkour experts to recrate moves from various Assassin's Creed games. This is clearly very professional stuff, with high production values and high quality editing, and therefore is an excellent example of Shirky's notion of audience members producing professional quality content, in this case clearly for financial gain
This video is way more an example of fandom, and how fans can focus on one particular aspect of a videogame. Some language/cryptography enthusiast has actually translated the various runic written aspects of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. And, even more crazily, it actually makes sense! This is a clear example of Ubisoft putting a ridiculous amount of work in to a game, that will be overlooked by 99% of people, simply to appeal to the 1% of hardcore fans that will REALLY get in to this!
Here's some examples of Assassin's Creed fanart, or perhaps it would be better to describe it as concept art. It's really high quality stuff! I hope that the fan is able to become a professional artist!
This fan film clearly took a ridiculous amount of work. While an actual AC game set in Nazi occupied France might be a little offensive to some audiences, it clearly has captured many fans attentions
This video shows off an actual working retractable blade, as seen in the AC franchise. Suffice to say, it's not a good idea to carry one of these around! But for the ultra fan, it provides an excellent way to show allegiance to the series, and to the weapon smith, it probably provides a steady stream of income
This is an example of a fan edit; footage from an existing franchise edited over an existing pop song. Clearly the editing here is very effective, and since it has 4million views, it's also extremely popular!
Finally, this isn't AC related, but since we played Dark Souls III in class, it's a good example to include. While DS3 may seem to be free of story, it actually has a very complicated and in-depth narrative, which is told through environmental storytelling and item descriptions. This 'lore video' goes in to significant depth on the boss none of you could beat so I had to step in and beat for you :)
Why don't Ubisoft clamp down on these fans for copywrite infringement?
While some studios (like Nintendo...) will do everything possible to stop fans using their IP (or 'intellectual property'), Ubisoft clearly realise that there are mutual benefits involved in allowing fans to create derivative work. Not only is it 'free advertising', it also encourages active fanbases, and active and happy fan bases are more likely to buy the next Assassin's Creed game, year after year!
But why do fans do these things?
Let's face it: even if you can edit, draw, act or make props, the media industries are difficult to get in to. So, if you want to make stuff, and make stuff that people want to watch, then basing your art on an existing franchise is often the best way to do this!
Incidentally, lots of commercial products actually started life as fan products. The hugely successful (if slightly dubious) 50 Shades Of Grey started as Twilight fanfic. And the crazy popular indie RPG Undertale started life a long time ago as an Earthbound fan game. And if we stretch things slightly, the Star Wars franchise is a ripoff of the cinema of Akira Kurosawa. And why not?
As somebody said, "good artists copy, great artists steal"!