NFTS are not GAMING’S FUETURE, THEY ARE GAMING’S PAST
NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, have recently been cited by many enormous developers and publishers as “
NON-FAVORABLE TRADE
Let’s talk a little bit about NFTs before we go back to the past. A non-fungible token can be described as a small unit of data that grants you ownership rights over something. It could be a photo, video or any other type of data. It’s not physical. This is why it’s non-fungible. You’re not buying a printed copy of a JPEG, but the rights to that image.
Important to remember is that NFT trading is unregulated at the moment. They are a fertile ground for criminal activity and shady behavior. Although it is impossible to predict how this will integrate into gaming, the implications are alarming. This is especially true when you consider the industry’s ability to make money.
SUBS, NOT DUBBS
MMOs brought with them the idea of a subscription service when they entered the market. Let’s look back at World of Warcraft in its early days. In 2004, Blizzard launched a small project called World of Warcraft or WoW. It was a huge success, but it had a unique payment system. Players were required to purchase the base game and pay a subscription in order to play. Today, subscriptions are the preferred option for MMOs of all genres and platforms. This is a glimpse at how NFTs may function in the future. You will need to buy it to play.
However, subscriptions have not changed much. Final Fantasy XIV Online allows players to level up their characters in all classes to level 60, before they have to pay. Premium benefits include access to new cosmetics and the removal of ads in most phone games and MOBA subscriptions. WoW allows you to level up a character up to 20 before you ask you to pay. This begs the question: Why?
Most players won’t pay for something that they don’t like. Subscription services have evolved from a simple plan to an acceptable price. This is what you need to keep in mind as developers sell NFTs of accounts and characters. The price will be determined by the amount we pay.
BOXES FOR HEAVYWEIGHT –
It’s the big one. This is the heavy-hitter and the face of all schemes. Loot boxes are what I am referring to. They can be found hiding in game shops and on markets singing their siren songs. These little rascals are a problem not too long ago and it’s easy to see why. Players could be rewarded with cosmetics and better in-game gear if they wanted something truly special. It was gambling regardless of what publishers and developers said. It employed the same tactics as casinos to lure people and con them into paying for it with the promise that they would receive rare gear.
