NFTs are being used in a lot of things these days but especially in video games. Perhaps because of their potential use as collectables, many video game companies have started including NFTs, such as Ubisoft and Gamestop.
But this isn’t the case across the board and some video game companies don’t seem as eager to embrace NFTs. Case in point, Minecraft, a popular video game, released a blog post on July 20, 2022, addressing NFTs. Needless to say, it was not an announcement of NFTs being added to its operations.
Minecraft Shuns NFTs
As per the blog post, the company had been getting a lot of requests from users to clarify its position on NFTs. In response, the company released this statement and announced that it will be updating its guidelines to give more clarification.
This was especially necessary because, as the post explains, a number of creators had been launching NFTs that make use of Minecraft concepts like skins and worlds. But Minecraft as a company has stated plainly that they do not support NFTs for reasons of preventing scarcity.
As per the post, Mojang studios, the company behind Minecraft, wants to make sure that all of its users have access to the same features. Because NFTs are often used to give access to exclusive features not available to all, they are incompatible with Minecraft.
“To ensure that Minecraft players have a safe and inclusive experience, blockchain technologies are not permitted to be integrated inside our client and server applications, nor may Minecraft in-game content such as worlds, skins, persona items, or other mods, be utilized by blockchain technology to create a scarce digital asset,” the blog post says.
It also adds that the speculative investment and pricing often attached to NFTs take away attention from the actual gaming experience, which the company does not want. There is also consent about some of the third-party NFTs that have popped up recently. Some of these, the post says, might be sold at inflated prices or might be scams altogether. As such, Minecraft is taking a firm stance against them.
“[..] to ensure that Minecraft players have a safe and inclusive experience, blockchain technologies are not permitted to be integrated inside our Minecraft client and server applications nor may they be utilized to create NFTs associated with any in-game content, including worlds, skins, persona items, or other mods,” the blog post says.
The Implications of the Statement
While NFTs have a growing presence in the video game sector, they are clearly not being accepted across the board. In the case of Minecraft, the issue is not just concerns about rug pulls and inflated prices.
At its core, Minecraft seems to disagree with NFTs as a concept. But one of the biggest appeals of NFTs to many people is the ability to get access to exclusive features and experiences. This has made the digital asset the darling of many video game projects but clearly, Minecraft will not be joining the mix.
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