Notes

'Minecraft' Studio Wants nothing to be Associated With NFTs

Don't expect to purchase the creeper skin as an NFT (non-fungible token) and plug it into your Minecraft server in the near future. Mojang has taken a firm position against the game's use of NFTs and blockchain technology. "[Toensure that Minecraft players enjoy a safe, inclusive experience, blockchain technology is not allowed to be integrated into our Minecraft client or server applications, nor can they be used to create NFTs that are linked to any in-game content such as skins and worlds, personsa objects, or other mods," Mojang stated in an announcement. The game will soon be updated with the game's guidelines in line with.



Minecraft has an online marketplace where users can sell their creations for others to use. Mojang states that some companies have recently begun offering NFTs that are connected to the game. Certain NFTs are available for purchase in exchange for Minecraft skin packs or world files. The studio has said that it could be possible for players to earn Minecraft NFTs through activities they performed within the game, or elsewhere. Mojang is not in agreement with any of this.



"Each of these uses of NFTs and other blockchain technologies result in digital ownership that is based on exclusion and scarcity that is not in alignment with Minecraft values of creativity, inclusion and playing with others," it said. "NFTs don't include all members of our community and create a stalemate of haves and have-nots."



While Minecraft server owners are able to charge users for access, Mojang rules state that everyone should have access to the same features and content. "NFTs, however, can create models of exclusion and scarcity that do not conform to our guidelines and the spirit of Minecraft," the studio said.



Mojang also expressed concern about the speculative nature of NFTs and pointed out that certain were sold at "artificially fraudulently high prices." It's not a good idea for Minecraft to support NFTs, given its millions of young players. "The speculation-based pricing and investment mentality around NFTs distracts players from playing the game and encourages profiteering which we think is inconsistent with the long-term happiness and success of our players," Mojang said.



The studio and Microsoft, its parent company, have every reason to be cautious about NFTs or blockchain tech. There has been a massive backlash from the broader gaming community against those technologies. Another reason is that the prices of cryptocurrency have dropped, and the NFT market is becoming less viable. Even the erstwhile leader in the blockchain gaming space, Axie Infinity, was the victim of a massive hack (with players losing out as a result) and its daily player numbers have plummeted by over two thirds in the last few months.



Other major players in the gaming industry have already shied away from NFTs and blockchain. Server tracker Steam recently banned NFT trading and cryptocurrency-enabled games in October. Sony recently announced the launch of a PlayStation Rewards program that will include digital collectibles. The company stressed that these can't be exchanged and the program does not include NFTs or blockchain.



However, Mojang isn't completely rejecting the blockchain. The company has stated that it will keep track of the development of blockchain technology to "determine if it will allow for safer gaming experiences or other useful and inclusive applications in gaming."


Read More: https://servertracker.org/