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 intervening time. In line with a GDC survey from earlier this 12 months only 23% of game developers are interested in using cryptocurrency or blockchain technology of their video games.
Sega received’t make blockchain video games however will license some characters for NFTs.
Talking to Bloomberg News, Utsumi mentioned that Sega is re-evaluating its use of blockchain, crypto, and associated play-to-earn sport mechanics as a result of “The motion in play-to-earn video games is boring, what’s the purpose if video games aren’t any enjoyable?” Whereas it’s transferring away from the usage of blockchain in its top-tier franchises, Sega will allow some characters to be used as NFTs, together with Virtua Fighter and Three Kingdoms characters. The corporate will even supply “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 informed Bloomberg final month that Sega isn’t interested in 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 sport” slate of big-budget releases scheduled for 2026. Regardless of earlier optimism at Sega about the usage of blockchain and different web3 tech, Utsumi informed Bloomberg the corporate is now “trying into whether or not this expertise is admittedly going to take off on this trade, in spite of everything.”
Regardless of Sega’s hesitance in regards to the expertise, different gaming firms could also be going all in on web3 options. It was lately revealed that Sony patented a system for transferring and trading PlayStation NFTs, displaying that console makers may embrace the tech even when builders don’t. The usage of blockchain and different web3 expertise in video games has been a sore spot for a lot of gamers in recent times, resulting in vital pushback, however it appears it received’t disappear anytime quickly so long as builders and publishers see potential income in its use.
