Being one of the biggest games in the world, Minecraft was bound to run into some NFT shenanigans as people attempted to use it as a platform for blockchain technology. As a result, developer Mojang plainly stated it does not approve of any kind of NFT integration in Minecraft, and is updating its usage guidelines to reflect it.
In a post on the official Minecraft website, Mojang lays out that it wants Minecraft to be a game where all players have access to the same content, and NFTs are all about creating fake scarcity, so the company says this conflicts with the spirit of the game. This was prompted after companies launched NFT implementation associated with Minecraft world files and skin packs, and fear that NFTs and blockchain might be utilized to create collectible NFTs that could be earned through both in-game and out-of-game activities.
On top of all of the above, the company doesn’t want Minecraft to become something Mojang can’t moderate and ensure players aren’t being ripped off and scammed, and since everything about NFTs is made up values and a lack of accountability to anyone, the company rightfully doesn’t want any of this nonsense going on in its game.
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As for what NFT and blockchain stuff was going on in Minecraft, some players have been using the game as a platform for metaverse projects, such as NFTWorlds, which reacted to the announcement on its Discord. The full statement says the moderators are first looking to talk to decision makers at Mojang, and if there’s no changing minds, there will be a pivot to either a similar game engine or a different game entirely.
We've just shared the following announcement on our Discord regarding the current @Minecraft & @nftworldsNFT situation. pic.twitter.com/ARbKABRK4A
— NFT Worlds (@nftworldsNFT) July 20, 2022
Mojang isn’t the only company in games that has made an attempt to distance itself from NFTs, as Sony recently clarified its upcoming PlayStation Stars loyalty program won’t have any such dealings.
Update: NFTWorlds has released a statement following the ban, and says it’s doubling down on creating a Minecraft-like game like hundreds of other people have said in the years since the original game launched in 2011, where it can continue all its NFT shenanigans without Microsoft to spoil all its fun by banning outside economic systems going on without any official support or supervision. The statement says this decision is a…one sec, let me check my notes here. The group says it’s an “agenda based rule” that “feels like a violation of the true creative spirit Minecraft was supposed to embody and enable.” The statement goes on to say this is a “battle between two different visions of the future of the web: one that prioritizes shareholder value and profit margins above all else.”
Anyway, what are y’all having for dinner today? I had a chicken salad sandwich for lunch, but am thinking about getting some takeout delivered. There’s a pretty good Italian place here that I haven’t been to in a minute, and their chicken alfredo is good shit. I just don’t really like the fettucine they put in it by default because those noodles get really messy. I’m more partial to penne, so I always ask them to substitute it. It’s just more compact and I feel like the chicken to past ratio in each bite is more balanced and I don’t have to deal with trying to get fettucine wrapped properly around my fork. I’m also feeling a little under the weather day and considering treating myself to a fresh Coca-Cola, but I’m trying to moderate my sugar water intake these days. Really the best thing would have been for me to feel well enough to go see Nope and gotten some food at the theater, but probably not feeling up to that. Unless I start feeling like I’m on the upswing in the next few hours. We’ll see.
