Re-examining the relationship between NFT and games

Recently, Minecraft developer Mojang Studios announced a ban on the use of NFTs and blockchain technology in the game. This decision has sparked heated discussions in the gaming community about the relationship between NFTs and traditional games.

Mojang Studios believes that the scarcity and exclusivity of NFTs contradict the inclusive philosophy pursued by Minecraft. They are concerned that NFTs could lead to a divide between the "rich and the poor," undermining the community spirit of the game. At the same time, the unreliability of some third-party NFT projects is also worrisome.

In fact, the criticism of NFTs by the traditional gaming industry has a long history. Last year, Ubisoft and GSC Game World both canceled their plans to integrate NFTs into their games due to player opposition. At this year's Brazil Independent Games Festival, a game developer publicly denounced NFTs as a "nightmare."

These criticisms mainly focus on the following points:

1. NFTs can disrupt game balance and turn gaming into a purely speculative activity.

2. NFTs will destroy the magic circle of games, allowing reality to invade the game world.

3. NFTs do not bring true innovation, as existing games already have similar functions.

However, these criticisms overlook a key point - ownership. NFTs provide players with true ownership of game assets, something traditional games cannot offer.

Currently, traditional games and NFT games are facing the challenge of how to balance gameplay and economics. Some possible solutions include:

1. Limit NFTs to the peripheral of the game, without affecting the core gameplay.

2. Separate the collectible attributes of NFTs from their utility in the game.

3. Distinguish between ordinary players and competitive players, achieving economic interoperability while isolating gameplay.

But these are all compromise measures. The real challenge lies in designing a completely new game mechanism that achieves a delicate balance in aspects such as economic circulation, combat power system, and player expectations. This requires us to break through existing thinking and create a truly native blockchain game based on ownership and value flow.

The transformation brought by NFTs and blockchain technology to gaming is far from over. As Ubisoft stated: "You own a part of the game and leave your mark on its history." The future gaming world will surely be different because of NFTs.