Mojang Studios have announced they've taken a stance on NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and blockchain technology in Minecraft.
Recent times have seen certain companies and video game studios embracing NFTs, often to the dismay of their communities. NFTs are often purchased with cryptocurrencies and often associated with digital assets in the form of GIF or JPEG files. While they're largely marketed as offering digital ownership, they can be seen as monetizing assets in a volatile market, with prices rising and falling rapidly.
Mojang recently offered "clarification and transparency regarding Mojang Studios and Minecraft’s position on NFTs."
In a blog post, Mojang announced, "While we are in the process of updating our Minecraft Usage Guidelines to offer more precise guidance on new technologies, we wanted to take the opportunity to share our view that integrations of NFTs with Minecraft are generally not something we will support or allow."
The post detailed their position further, saying, "We have these rules to ensure that Minecraft remains a community where everyone has access to the same content. NFTs, however, can create models of scarcity and exclusion that conflict with our Guidelines and the spirit of Minecraft."
"NFTs are not inclusive of all our community and create a scenario of the haves and the have-nots," the post continues. "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's statement also highlighted instances where NFTs have been sold fraudulently, and where blockchain technology depends on an asset manager who "might disappear without notice." In order to better safeguard its community, Mojang has stated that, "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."
As for the technology's future with Mojang or Minecraft, it seems the studio is still open to keeping an eye on how it progresses and whether it will offer "secure experiences or other practical and inclusive applications" in the future. For now, it seems, there are no plans to implement NFTs or blockchain technology into Minecraft.
This article was originally published on dbltap as Minecraft Announces NFTs are "Not Permitted" in Game.
