I am scared that Nvidia will punish me if I talked about this under my Youtube channel name. I think this is something that the community needs to know. I am a Youtuber that makes video reviews on computer hardware. My channel is pretty big (not LTT big, but still pretty big) and I work with all the hardware companies you make computer parts, AMD, Intel, NVIDIA, ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, etc.

Nvidia has been pushing us Youtubers for Nvidia products to have a presence in AMD and Intel review videos that we put up. I have verified this is happening with a lot of channels. No one wants to talk about this publicly because they are all afraid of Nvidia cutting them off from hardware and drivers, or they are afraid they will lose Nvidia sponsorship and advertising money. Yes, Nvidia pays a lot of Youtube channels for exposure.

This all started back when first Vega 7 cards were coming out and now NVIDIA, particularly NV PR, both Press Relations employees for Nvidia, are pushing this very hard since RX 5700 cards were released.

When I started getting ready for RX 5700 reviews, NV PR really wanted Youtubers to rehash RX 580/590 to distract from the RX 5700 advancements. Nvidia pushed comparing AMD with AMD and keeping their cards out of the mix for benchmarks. This was the first time I got a very firm message from Nvidia that if I gave a very favorable RX 5700 review that Nvidia would have to evaluate how “good of a partner” my channel is for future review hardware. I am pretty sure you can find other examples of this happening to other channels that have talked about this stuff too.

Nvidia is also asking YouTubers to do other things in AMD and Intel videos. Nvidia asked me and others to make sure we always had Nvidia branding visible in AMD and Intel coverage videos. Nvidia asked for Nvidia GTX and RTX boxes and cards to be visible in all AMD videos, videos that have nothing to do with Nvidia products. Nvidia asked me to make sure and never use AMD video cards when reviewing AMD and Intel CPUs. Some Youtubers are paid for this branding and product placement and others are not paid.

I guess none of this is illegal, but it is kind of dirty. “Pay to play” branding and product placement is nothing new. It is done all the time in movies, but reviews are not movies. Reviews are supposed to be focused on the product you are looking for information on, not filled with product placement by a competing GPU maker. If Youtubers are going to do this I think it should be stated as happening in the video description. If Nvidia is buying product placement in AMD coverage videos, that should be stated in the video description. This marketing should require a disclosure. Nvidia buying Youtubers needs to be exposed and talked about.

Nvidia doing this is also shorting the Youtube audience of coverage and exposure of other competing products. Nvidia has a long history of trying to push competitors off of the radar. Nvidia is pushing Youtubers to not use AMD parts whereever Nvidia thinks it can get away with it. That gives AMD less coverage and exposure to all audiences. I think Nvidia thinks this is paramount on Youtube compared to websites that have written reviews. Nvidia’s actions are shortchanging the Youtube audience. This is advertising 101 being forced on product reviewers and many reviewers are eating it up to keep their Nvidia overlords happy.

Nvidia openly telling or sneakily suggesting Youtubers that they will be cut off is rotten. I guess maybe that could be added to the video description too.

I will not do any of Nvidia’s suggestions on my channel. Keep your eyes out for this happening on other channels and then ask yourself what exactly is getting paid for on Youtube and why you are seeing what you are a seeing.

Well, this is that happens with press under capitalism. As Nvidia PR are calling them - with presstitutes.