Nintendo announced their sponsorship of the Tokaigi "Game Party Japan" 2015 event today, but the big news comes from another announcement, one that could mean even more.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced that Nintendo properties can be used for "derivative works", including Let's Plays, covers of Nintendo music, fanart and other fan-created works. The fan content was showcased in the announcement video, along with Iwata's official endorsement.

Also, Iwata endorsed a special "Creative Endorsement Program" from NicoVideo, supporting the use of Nintendo-related content. NicoVideo's program was created in 2011 to financially reward creators of popular and well-received content on Youtube. This project is only used by NicoVideo and its parent company Dwango.

This announcement is a shocking reversal from Nintendo, as their attitude toward Let's Plays on Youtube has caused them to push Content ID's for videos, claiming the revenue earned from those videos. The decision to open their doors to fan content is a welcome change of pace and could mean more involvement with Youtube content creators and fans alike in the future.