Fans have multiple options when it comes to making and selling Altered-related projects, with the release of the official Altered Fan Content Policy. The new guidelines come following a short preview in the March 7 AMA. The full text is available for download from the official article.

From the start, the document provides a couple general guidelines that will cover most uses of Altered materials:

Any use of Altered IP is:

• Authorized for Fan Content as long as the access to it is free of any charge (article 1) and you make clear it is not official content (article 3) and it is not used for harmful content (article 5).

• Strictly prohibited for commercial use, except for fan-made artisanal products (article 2) as long as you make it clear that it is not official content (article 3).

• Strictly prohibited without our prior consent for use with any Artificial Intelligence tool (article 9).

Digital fan content can use and share Altered IP as long as it remains free and accessible to everyone. That means no fees or paywalls for access, and the content itself must be available for others to view, share and use. The document suggests using a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.

Creators of physical, artisanal products can make and sell pieces for Altered with a few guidelines, starting by disallowing products similar to those made by Equinox or Gamegenic. Specifically, that means the products have to be distinctly different from those already being made by those companies. Those products can only go to individual customers (rather than distributors, for instance), and cannot use any Altered IP, including artwork and symbols. The document suggests a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.

Anything made by fans needs to be very clear that it’s unofficial, including a disclaimer similar to “[Title of your fan content] is unofficial content created by a fan of Altered. Not endorsed by Equinox. Portions of this material are the property of Equinox.” It also needs to clearly state that it is “fan content” and use the Altered Fan Content watermark on digital images of the product, but not on the product itself.

Importantly, the guidelines state that artificial intelligence and similar tools should not be used for any fan content. They can be used for work you’ve done previously yourself but only for minor changes. IP uses need to respect others’ rights, including third-party content, and avoid harming the image of Altered or Equinox. That starts at avoiding removing copyright notices but also includes controversial or offensive material.

The rules allow for sponsorships within some boundaries, and remind creators that making Altered material means the Equinox team and community can share it as well.

The guide also briefly mentions uses of Equinox’s API and shares that some formal details around project review will be shared soon.

If a creator has additional questions about whether their project works with the guidelines, the guidelines suggest emailing the team at marketing@altered.gg with a description of the intended use.