Skibidi Toilet DMCAs Garry's Mod But Legitimacy Remains Unclear

Garry Newman, the creator of Garry's Mod, reportedly received a DMCA takedown notice targeting unauthorized Skibidi Toilet content within the game. The situation is shrouded in uncertainty regarding the true sender.

The DMCA Notice and its Initial Attribution:

The notice, received on July 30th, demanded the removal of Skibidi Toilet-related Garry's Mod games, citing a lack of licensing. Initial reports incorrectly attributed the notice to Invisible Narratives, the studio behind Skibidi Toilet's film and TV adaptations. However, this has been refuted by a Discord profile seemingly belonging to the Skibidi Toilet creator, as reported by Dexerto.

The Ironic Twist:

The irony lies in the Skibidi Toilet series' origins. Created by Alexey Gerasimov (DaFuq!?Boom!) using assets from Garry's Mod and Source Filmmaker, the series' unexpected popularity led to merchandise and planned film/TV projects. The DMCA claim, therefore, targets content built upon assets from a game that itself utilizes pre-existing assets (Half-Life 2).

Counterarguments and the Role of Valve:

Garry Newman shared the DMCA on the s&box Discord server, highlighting the absurdity of the situation. Invisible Narratives' notice claims copyright over characters like Titan Cameraman, Titan Speakerman, Titan TV Man, and Skibidi Toilet. They point to DaFuq!?Boom! as the source.

However, Valve, the publisher of Half-Life 2 and Source Filmmaker (and therefore, indirectly, of Garry's Mod), holds a stronger legal position regarding the unauthorized use of their assets by DaFuq!?Boom!. Valve's prior approval of Garry's Mod as a standalone release significantly weakens the legitimacy of the DMCA.

DaFuq!?Boom!'s Denial and Past Copyright Disputes:

Following the public disclosure, DaFuq!?Boom! denied involvement in sending the DMCA notice via the s&box Discord, expressing confusion and a desire to contact Garry Newman. This isn't the first time DaFuq!?Boom! has faced copyright scrutiny. Last September, they issued multiple copyright strikes against GameToons, a similar YouTuber, eventually reaching a settlement after a tense standoff.

Current Status:

The DMCA's origin remains unclear, though it was sent "on behalf of copyright holder: Invisible Narratives, LLC," claiming copyright on the aforementioned characters, registered in 2023. While DaFuq!?Boom!'s denial hasn't been independently verified, the situation highlights the complex legal issues surrounding derivative works and the unexpected consequences of viral internet phenomena. The legitimacy of the DMCA remains highly questionable given the circumstances.