With the interest in NFTs growing with each new month, corporations, celebrities and social media influencers are getting stuck into the space and even building their own versions of NFTs! As it stands, the gaming industry is filled with controversy over the existence and inclusion of NFTs in modern games, but this isn’t stopping gaming giant Ubisoft from developing their own NFTs and pushing for a better, more inclusive future for gamers everywhere.
Ubisoft’s Fearless Foray Into the Non-Fungible
In early December 2021, Ubisoft decided to dip their toes into the NFT space by introducing Ubisoft Quartz , a new platform for players to obtain ‘Digits’, the first ever NFTs playable in triple-A games. Ubisoft described it as a new experience for players to collect, play and control their in-game items.
The first game introduced to the Ubisoft Quartz program was Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint which allowed players to purchase cosmetic ‘Digits’ for the game—we’re talking guns, armor, clothing, vehicles, you name it. Players can use these Digits to customize their ghost, collect an item from their favorite streamer or even sell them on the Rarible marketplace! Yup, Ubisoft is already fully embracing the power of NFTs and doing what they can to offer more to players.
In spite of all these developments, Ubisoft has stated that this is just the beginning. That’s right, the gaming giant intends to garner an ever-deepening connection between players and the game worlds they know and love. Being the first ever Triple-A game to introduce NFTs was a bold move by Ubisoft, and, unfortunately, it’s not one that’s been particularly well-received by their audience.
Read more about Ubisoft’s Digits here
‘NFTs Are BAD!’
Shortly after announcing Ubisoft Quartz, the developers received huge backlash from the community. I mean, just look at the comments on the Ubisoft Quartz: Announce Trailer .
The burning question here is, ‘Why the enormous amount of hate?’ And actually, the answer is in fact really, really simple…
Non-Fungible Tokens
To be frank, it’s no surprise that gamers loathe this ‘new’ technology—their reasons why range from the belief that it’s a total scam to the notion that crypto protocols are literally sticking a knife in the heart of the planet. They pretty much despise even the slightest mention of the word ‘NFT.’
According to a study carried out by FandomSpot, over two-thirds of gamers aren’t a fan of NFTs:
- Over three-quarters (86%) agreed that it’s because of the changes that are happening in the gaming space as a result of crypto gaming and NFTs
- In addition, more than half of the gamers surveyed (51%) also said the uncertainty of the financial outcome worries them about their inclusion in games
- Interestingly enough, only 3% admitted to owning an NFT at one point, and of those, less than half still hold at least one
Current sentiment amongst the majority of gamers is that NFTs are worthless scams that have no right to be included in games, at least any serious ones. These gamers see NFTs as the equivalent of pay-to-win nightmares like Diablo Immortal , a game that recently triggered the entire gaming community.
The trouble really is that most gamers have a very limited knowledge (if any) of NFTs or their potential advantages and applications. And that’s OK since their exposure to this tech is mostly limited to news they encounter on social media and the views that are exchanged in echo chambers across the web. Changing attitudes takes time, and that also means that technology has to develop a bit first before it’s truly accepted by the masses.
Time to Pack It In? Not a Chance!
So you would think that with such massive backlash and universal hate for NFTs in the gaming space, Ubisoft would pretty much stop experimenting with them with immediate effect. But in fact, that’s a big ‘Nope’ sports fans! When I say Ubisoft is all in, I mean it—they’re all in!
Back in January of this year, Nicolas Pouard, VP at Ubisoft’s Strategic Innovations Lab, stated that, although no more NFTs will be added to Ghost Recon Breakpoint, there will certainly be more games in the future that do accommodate and support them. Pouard also quipped that gamers ‘just don’t get it’ and that ‘this is part of a paradigm shift in gaming,’ so it’s gonna take some time for gamers to adjust.
Personally, I believe this is exactly what we need in this space. Big gaming companies need to stand up to the stigma surrounding NFTs and blockchain and push the industry forward despite the overwhelming backlash and hate in the short term. Not everyone was a fan of the internet when it first came into being all the way back in the 1980s. Heck, many people still don’t like the internet! Critics aren’t going to go away, but change takes time, and big changes take a lot of time.
Whether you like it or not, NFTs are going to play a huge part in the future of the gaming industry—it’s inevitable, and nobody can stop it. So strap yourselves in and get ready, ‘cos this rollercoaster ride’s far from over!
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