Submission Guidelines
This document serves as a comprehensive guide for Makers looking to submit their digital products for publishing on the Marketplace. By adhering to these guidelines, you ensure that your submissions contribute positively to the Elgato ecosystem, providing value to users while respecting legal and community standards.
1. Safety, Security, and Privacy
Your product must not compromise user safety or device integrity. This includes avoiding software that could cause overheating, unauthorized shutdowns, or introduce harmful software.
Your products must incorporate robust security measures to protect user data and prevent unauthorized access. Ensure industry-standard encryption, secure authentication methods, and regular security updates if your product utilizes user-provided data.
If applicable, provide a clear, accessible privacy policy that outlines how user data is collected, used, and protected. Products must adhere to the highest data privacy standards and ensure compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other relevant data protection regulations.
If you're unsure whether to include this information with your product, feel free to ask us in the Maker Discord.
2. Product Uniqueness and Functionality
The Elgato Marketplace celebrates innovation. Products too similar to existing offerings, without unique functionality or clear user benefits, may not be accepted.
3. Content Appropriateness
We are committed to an inclusive Marketplace. Products with inappropriate, offensive, or discriminatory content will not be accepted. All submissions should respect our diverse user base.
4. Legal Compliance and Elgato's Policies
Your product must comply with all legal requirements and Elgato's policies. Ensure you have the rights to use or distribute all content within your product, and adhere to Elgato brand guidelines.
5. Pre-Submission Preparation
Thoroughly test your product for errors, bugs, or crashes. Ensure your product description, media, and contact details are accurate and complete.
6. Community Guidelines Compliance
Follow Elgato's Community Guidelines by avoiding spam, respecting intellectual property, and ensuring your product is free from objectionable content.
7. Product Usability
Products should be useful, valuable, and not designed to discomfort users. Avoid temporary content, ensure accessibility, and prevent negative impacts on software or hardware interactions.
8. Intellectual Property Considerations
As part of our commitment to respecting the intellectual property rights of others, Elgato Marketplace strictly prohibits listing digital products that infringe upon protected third-party material without explicit authorization. Each Maker is responsible for ensuring their products comply with all applicable intellectual property laws and guidelines.
Should a product be subject to an intellectual property complaint or be identified as potentially infringing, Elgato reserves the right to remove the implicated content from the Marketplace pending a thorough investigation. This action is a part of our compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) which is designed to protect the rights of copyright and intellectual property owners.
Reporting and Resolution of Intellectual Property Violations
To maintain the integrity of the Elgato Marketplace and ensure a safe, creative environment for our community, we encourage the reporting of any violations of our guidelines. If you encounter a product that you believe infringes upon your intellectual property rights or violates our community standards, we ask you to follow the reporting procedures outlined in our Community Guidelines.
When a dispute arises between community members regarding intellectual property infringement, we recommend resolving the matter directly with the individual or organization involved. Should these efforts not result in a satisfactory resolution, affected parties are encouraged to file a DMCA report in accordance with our established procedures.
Elgato is committed to cooperating with law enforcement agencies and will take necessary actions when we believe there is a risk of physical harm or a threat to public safety.
9. Monetization Rules
- Prohibition of External Paywalls and Payment Mechanisms: Products listed on the Elgato Marketplace must not implement their own paywalls or direct users to payment mechanisms outside the Elgato Marketplace. This ensures that the transaction remains secure, transparent, and consistent across the platform, providing our users a trustworthy and familiar experience.
- Restriction on Advertisements: To preserve the integrity of the user experience within the Elgato ecosystem, displaying advertisements within products is strictly prohibited. This policy is designed to prevent disruptions in the user experience and maintain the aesthetic and functional quality of the Marketplace, and any Elgato applications.
- Exceptions: Recognizing the diversity in digital product offerings and the varying business models of our makers, exceptions to the above rules may be considered on a case-by-case basis. These exceptions are subject to review and approval by Elgato, ensuring they align with our community standards and overall Marketplace objectives.
Makers interested in exploring monetization models that may fall under these exceptions are encouraged to contact Elgato directly for consultation and approval. This process ensures that all products meet our guidelines while allowing for innovative and flexible monetization strategies that benefit both Makers and users.
10. Product Updates
Submit new versions of your product using the same tools as for initial submissions. Include versioning details and updated files.
11. Spelling and Grammar
Ensure your product description is free from typos and grammatical errors. Utilize proofreading tools to maintain professionalism.
12. Giving Credit for Inspiration
If another's work inspires your product, provide appropriate credit and follow any attribution requirements.
13. User Experience and Design
High-quality design and a seamless user experience are crucial. Your products should offer intuitive navigation, aesthetic appeal, and a responsive interface. The user experience should align (or surpass) the overall aesthetic and functional standards of the Elgato ecosystem.
14. Age Appropriate Content
Products should be suitable for a broad audience, with particular attention to protecting children from inappropriate content. Your product should inform and educate users if your product contains content that may not be suitable for specific audiences.
15. Performance and Resource Efficiency
Your products should be optimized for performance (where applicable), minimizing the impact on device resources such as CPU/GPU, battery life, storage, and data usage.
Review and Reevaluation
Elgato reserves the right to review and reevaluate submissions at any time. Products found in violation of these guidelines may be removed or require modification.
We're eager to begin this Maker adventure alongside you!
For a smooth start, we recommend checking out the following document: