EA has announced a collaboration with Nike. They are apparently planning to bring products developed with the technology ‘NFT’ to sports game series like FIFA, NBA Live, and Madden. While magazines that deal with cryptocurrencies report kindly about the news, the international gaming press is fuming.
This is the announcement:
- EA’s statement is vague (via EA). EA announces that they have entered into a new partnership with Nike to enhance and personalize the “virtual sports experience for fans worldwide.” They will find new ways to integrate SWOOSH, Nike’s new community experience.
- They do not use the word “NFT” – instead, they avoid it.
- They emphasize how creative and innovative all of this is.
“Big step for Nike and crypto-gaming”
How do crypto-media react?? The site cointelegraph describes the collaboration as “a big step for NFT” and crypto-gaming.
It is said: NIKE NFTs are expected to be customizable, wearable add-ons or digital clothing that players can purchase and wear.
Nike has already sold its first products, virtual sneakers named Our Force 1, 97,000 times.
“Thought we had bullied them out of mainstream gaming”
How do gaming sites report on the deal?
The NFT-critical site Kotaku mocks the deal. It is June 2023, not June 2021. NFTs are already totally dead – instead, everyone is now betting on AI.
They criticize Nike and EA, stating that it’s all just about money for them, with both companies known as “cash grabbers.” Kotaku celebrates that the word “NFT” does not appear in the announcement.
Also, at PC Gamer, they rub their eyes in disbelief. The site states that they have successfully “bullied NFTs out of mainstream gaming,” which is probably for the best for everyone.
“The kings of microtransactions are now doing NFTs”
How do players react? On Twitter, opinions on the topic are divided, just like in the magazines:
- Crypto-friends also talk here about a “game-changer”
- The majority of gamers, on the other hand, react negatively to cynically. It is pointed out that there are already many microtransactions in FIFA anyway. One user says: He simply sees no demand for NFTs in games.
What’s behind it: NFTs were considered by crypto-investors a few months ago as the new hot thing. With them, players were supposed to “actually own” “items.” They were supposed to be traded as unique collectible items and gain value.
Suddenly, NFT projects
sprouted up everywhere. Some influencers like MontanaBlack also tried their hand at it, quickly promoting NFTs through deals, but burned their fingers.
Many gamers, on the other hand, have criticized NFTs from the beginning as superfluous and far too expensive. This only leads to less focus on the games themselves and more on their in-game shops. Moreover, there are significant doubts about the technical promises of NFTs.
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