Several shows have replaced E3 2022 and introduced new games. Now that the announcements are over, one genre has received absolutely no stage time: NFT and crypto games. But they are supposed to be the next big thing. Is the trend already dead?
NFTs, or “Non-Fungible Tokens”, emerged as a gaming trend over a year ago. Some companies skyrocketed to several billion dollars in value seemingly out of nowhere. Streamers, YouTubers, and developers suddenly hopped on the bandwagon.
Even large and well-known publishers like Ubisoft were convinced by NFTs. Some voices even suggested that crypto gaming would be the future of video games. A few games have even made significant profits.
Last year, a lot happened in the industry. Several events as a substitute for E3 served publishers and developers to showcase their new ideas. Now that many companies have presented their plans for 2022 and 2023, one topic is completely missing: crypto gaming.
Nightingale was one of the highlights at the Summer Game Fest and is one of the most-watched trailers:
Not a single NFT game showcased at the events
What was shown at the events: On June 9, the event marathon 2022 kicked off with the Summer Games Fest. The trailer storm revealed a plethora of new games, and even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had a brief PR appearance for his role as DC hero Black Adam.
There were indeed some interesting games, like Metal Hellsinger or the remake of The Last of Us for PS5 and PC. Above all, however, the Summer Game Fest was a massive horror show, literally:
But no trace of NFT games. Not a single game advertised that you could earn anything in them. Even in the unconventional indie shows: nothing. However, there was plenty to see for fans of smaller games, such as one of my personal gems: Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria:
But even here, no crypto gaming.
The biggest show to close was the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase, which had some massive announcements. New gameplay for Starfield, the new co-op shooter Redfall, and even a reveal of Diablo 4, which no one expected.
Why is no one showing NFTs? The shows have been fun, even when we at MeinMMO sit by the ticker late into the night and hammer away at the keyboard. For us, the shows are hard work, but always nice, especially as a retrospective.
And now I look back and see no NFT games, which I don’t miss either. Why none of the publishers or even indie developers dares to tackle the topic is anyone’s guess.
Perhaps it is because the crypto market is generally having problems or because some large influencers have made a mess with the technology. NFTs and crypto have lost credibility.
The background is actually interesting but based on speculation. For many gamers, the crypto techniques are something they simply do not want to see in their hobby. That is why there has been so much backlash in recent months. It seems to have been effective.
TitanReach, for example, died even before its release and even some well-known developers in the industry took a stand. Naoki Yoshida, the head of Final Fantasy XIV, and something of an icon in the MMORPG scene, spoke out against NFTs in his game.
Also, Warren Spector, the creator of Wing Commander, System Shock, and Deus Ex, considers NFTs and the associated metaverse to be a bad idea. He said:
NFTs are ridiculous. I don’t understand why anyone would want to participate. Ownership of virtual goods that can be reproduced in unlimited quantities. Who thinks that’s a good idea?
Crypto gaming is becoming quieter, but it’s not going away just yet
Around the crypto market, crypto gaming, and NFTs, there have been very few news articles in recent weeks. The Reuters agency reported on a crash in the crypto market that apparently hit some investors hard.
The CEO of Mythical Games, a company that aims to advance blockchain gaming, hopes for a positive development with the help of Web3 (via coindesk.com). This is the new trend that many are now transitioning to, which is likely also somewhat related to crypto gaming.
The market remains interesting for many developers and users who promise a future with the technology. Especially MMOs are often the target of crypto technologies.
After all, unique items can be traded here, which are one of a kind. Interested players then naturally get in early to potentially acquire valuable content at a low cost.
Since NFTs and co. have a great potential, work is continuously being done on new ways to implement the technology. Some big names in the gaming industry, such as Peter Molyneux (Black & White, Fable, Dungeon Keeper) or Ultima developer Richard Garriot, are planning a new NFT MMORPG.
In the gaming community, however, the topic is hardly mentioned or discussed anymore. If at all, then in the form of memes or isolated statements. Will crypto gaming become important again? I have no idea. If I ever need to paint ape pictures in Paint in 20 years to earn my money, you’ll know.
