‘Symbiogenesis’ is some NFT garbage from Square Enix, not a ‘Parasite Eve’ revival

hair that symbiogenesis, an upcoming project that is widely rumored to be Parasite Eve-related, is actually something else – and it’s centered around . The publisher described Symbiogenesis as “the first digital collectibles project designed from the ground up for Web3 fans.”

Symbiogenesis takes place in a self-contained world that contains a large cast of characters that can be collected as NFTs. Square Enix says you’ll be able to use these digital artworks as profile pictures on social media accounts, something you definitely wouldn’t be able to do by taking a screenshot.

In addition, you can use your character “in a story set in an alternate world where the player can ‘solve’ a mystery by completing missions that revolve around issues of monopolization and distribution of resources,” Square Enix. It’s somewhat ironic, given that the entire perceived value of NFTs is derived from artificial scarcity.

The publisher will begin selling NFTs (which will likely be on the Ethereum blockchain) in spring 2023, along with the debut of “a free browser service” on Google Chrome. The browser-based approach makes some sense. Symbiogenesis would not enter Steam, .

This is one of the highest profile stabs at an NFT-powered gaming experience to date. However, the NFT market has . Players have also largely rejected NFTs.

In December last year, it emerged that Ubisoft had in Ghost Recon Breakpoint, the first title where it used blockchain technology. A few weeks later, a Ubisoft executive claimed that players would benefit from having a marketplace where they could buy and sell NFTs of in-game items, “but those for now.” In April, Ubisoft announced that the game , effectively putting the game on hold and reducing its value Ghost Recon Breakpointtheir NFTs had.

It looks like Square Enix is ​​facing an uphill battle Symbiogenesis a success. It’s not a surprise that the company is moving in this direction after announcing in January that it would . Square Enix some of its more notable Western studios this year and plowing much of its revenue into blockchain and other technology earlier on that plan.

In the meantime, Square Enix may have to try to appease fans who were Symbiogenesis was actually one . After the publisher registered Symbiogenesis as a trademark last month, someone pointed out that the term means “the joining of two separate organisms to form a single new organism” — which is one of the foundations of Parasite Eveits history. While that connection is somewhat tenuous, it’s hard to blame the fans and that the project is ultimately an NFT scam.