In a brand new interview with Bloomberg, Sega’s co-Chief Working Officer Shuji Utsumi says the corporate is abandoning plans to develop blockchain video games in the interim. In line with a GDC survey from earlier this 12 months solely 23% of recreation builders are all in favour of utilizing cryptocurrency or blockchain expertise of their video games.
Sega received’t make blockchain video games however will license some characters for NFTs.
Chatting with Bloomberg Information, Utsumi stated that Sega is re-evaluating its use of blockchain, crypto, and associated play-to-earn recreation mechanics as a result of “The motion in play-to-earn video games is boring, what’s the purpose if video games are not any enjoyable?” Whereas it’s transferring away from using blockchain in its top-tier franchises, Sega will enable some characters for use as NFTs, together with Virtua Fighter and Three Kingdoms characters. The corporate may also provide “lesser franchises” to be used in a number of blockchain video games which have but to be introduced.
Though Sega will now not embrace blockchain in its most high-profile video games Utsumi, who advised Bloomberg final month that Sega isn’t all in favour of any acquisition talks, didn’t rule out revisiting the expertise down the road. He additionally refused to touch upon whether or not blockchain expertise can be utilized in Sega’s mysterious “tremendous recreation” slate of big-budget releases scheduled for 2026. Regardless of earlier optimism at Sega about using blockchain and different web3 tech, Utsumi advised Bloomberg the corporate is now “wanting into whether or not this expertise is actually going to take off on this business, in spite of everything.”
Regardless of Sega’s hesitance in regards to the expertise, different gaming corporations could also be going all in on web3 options. It was not too long ago revealed that Sony patented a system for transferring and buying and selling PlayStation NFTs, exhibiting that console makers might embrace the tech even when builders don’t. Using blockchain and different web3 expertise in video games has been a sore spot for a lot of gamers lately, resulting in vital pushback, nevertheless it appears it received’t disappear anytime quickly so long as builders and publishers see potential earnings in its use.