One of the joys of playing Minecraft is the ability to create and build anything. But the game’s developer, Mojang Studios, is drawing a line at NFTs and blockchains because they can ruin the game experience.
“NFTs are not inclusive of all our community and create a scenario of the haves and the have-nots,” the developer said.
On Wednesday, Microsoft-owned Mojang Studios published a blog post, explaining why non-fungible tokens and blockchain-based technologies pose a threat to the game experience. The reasons have to do with the “investment mentality” around NFTs, which essentially act as rare digital collectibles that can sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
The developer already lets people sell digital skins for the game and charge for access to player-run servers. So paying for things in the Minecraft world is nothing new. The problem is that NFTs “can create models of scarcity and exclusion,” which can conflict with the game’s guidelines and the spirit of the Minecraft experience, Mojang said.
The developer has noticed that some companies are already launching NFTs associated with Minecraft world files and skin packs. But Mojang is worried the same NFTs will prompt users to focus on the money associated with the non-fungible token, rather than enjoying the game itself.
“The speculative pricing and investment mentality around NFTs takes the focus away from playing the game and encourages profiteering, which we think is inconsistent with the long-term joy and success of our players,” Mojang said.
The other issue is the predatory practices and scams that NFTs tend to attract, like an NFT developer selling the tokens at inflated prices, and then bailing. Mojang added: “We are also concerned that some third-party NFTs may not be reliable and may end up costing players who buy them. Some third-party NFT implementations are also entirely dependent on blockchain technology and may require an asset manager who might disappear without notice.”
As a result, Mojang has decided to ban NFTs and blockchain integrations in the Minecraft game 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 developer added.
That said, Mojang isn’t shutting the door entirely on blockchain technologies. The studio notes it’ll be watching the technology’s evolution to see if it’ll “allow for more secure experiences or other practical and inclusive applications in gaming.”
Last year, Valve’s Steam also decided to ban NFTs and blockchains due to their association with scammy activities. But others like Ubisoft and Konami have experimented with offering NFTs, despite backlash from users, who claim the efforts are simply a money grab.