A senior executive at gaming giant Sega says “playing to win crypto games” is not “fun” and could take advantage of his blockchain gaming ambitions.
The firm has previously explored the notion of using NFTs in gaming and has signed blockchain partnership agreements with several notable national crypto and gaming companies.
But for Bloomberg and CoinPostSega’s chief operating officer (COO) Shuji Utsumi waded into the crypto gaming controversy, stating:
“The action in playing to win [P2E] games are boring What’s the point if games aren’t fun?
The COO admitted that Sega was now “investigating whether this technology” was “really going to take off in this industry after all.”
The comments will surprise many, particularly since the company seems so optimistic about its upcoming NFT partnership with doublejump.tokyo.
doublejump is one of the leading blockchain gaming companies in Japan.
But game point reported that Sega is “unwilling to run” blockchain-based “experiments” using “its most valuable and recognizable franchises as test subjects.”
The news outlet noted that “fans of Sonic and Yakuza can rest assured that characters from those games won’t be appearing in NFT markets any time soon.”
Blockchain gaming has become a touchy subject among gamers, who have so far expressed disdain for titles that incorporate crypto and blockchain elements.
Sega Moves Away From Blockchain Games: Could Others Follow?
The COO added that Sega would wait to see if blockchain-related games were “really going to take off” before committing.
However, advocates have claimed that cryptocurrencies and the blockchain are natural partners.
And in recent years, game companies, particularly those based in Asia, have bet big on its success.
Despite considerable backlash, the Tokyo-based company Final Fantasy Series developer Square Enix has decided to go ahead with its own blockchain gaming efforts.
The same goes for South Korean firms like WeMade and Nexon.
But Sega’s very frank and public comments on the matter could well test the resolve of the East Asian gaming giants.
Utsumi hasn’t exactly closed the door on crypto.
He said that the firm still plans to announce the provision of IP to blockchain initiatives “this year” and that it will “continue to invest in blockchain-related projects.”
But the public admission that Sega won’t risk its biggest IP names in the P2E arena is a huge blow to defenders.
If other companies like Sega decide to sit back and wait, rather than take a more proactive stance, some are likely to fear for the future of the fledgling industry.
