Game developer criticizes NFTs at events sponsored by blockchain companies
A game developer surprised participants at an event sponsored by blockchain companies by criticizing NFTs.
NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) have become one of the blockchain industry’s beloved utility cases. The technology is primarily related to art projects; with buyers who can prove their ownership thanks to immutable records on blockchains.
Without a doubt, the most infamous NFT project is the Bored Ape Yacht Club – which was even recently featured in a music video by Eminem and Snoop Dogg. However, NFTs have begun to expand into other areas that are more useful.
More utilitarian NFTs take the form of providing early access to new platforms or even providing access to VIP areas in places such as restaurants. In the long run, there is even the potential for NFTs to modernize things like earth joints.
NFTs are being actively explored by the gaming industry. Gaming titans such as Ubisoft, EA, Square Enix, Konami and others have all expressed interest in the technology.
During this year’s BIG Festival in Brazil, Mark Venturelli – best known for developing the Chroma Squad – gave his view.
Venturelli gave a talk in a session entitled “Future of Game Design” and started by talking about new game trends. However, he later wrote out the title while presenting and giving it the title “Why NFTs are a Nightmare”.
The event, it is worth noting, was sponsored by blockchain and NFT companies including Ripio and Lakea.
“I heard the sponsors were very angry,” Venturelli told PCGamer. “They tried to break into the conversation while I was talking, but the organization would not let them.”
Venturelli praised the organizers of the event for letting his talk continue despite potentially annoying sponsors.
“The organization, not at one point censoring me, stopped me from putting what I wanted on the slides. I gave them access to the slides before the speech. There was never any intention on their part to shut me up or anything like that. “
A full video of Venturelli’s presentation is available on YouTube, but he has two key criticisms of NFTs: games to serve the model in games and the broader societal implications of a lack of trust.
On play-to-earn, Venturelli argues that “everything Play to Earn can do … has already existed for over a decade in other games (but more effectively)”.
Blockchain, decentralization and the whole idea of web3 is to take power from big technology companies and authoritarian authorities. However, Venturelli believes that blockchain technology can sow feelings of mistrust in society instead of building trust.
“If I live with you in the same house and we do not trust each other, I must, every time before I leave my house, hide my valuables. I need to make an overview of the things I own, and maybe put cameras or locks inside things. When I get home I have to check everything and see if you mess with any of my things and make sure you do not enter my room when I sleep and all that, says Venturelli.
“There is so much energy that I have to use just to exist in a room with you, because I do not trust you. That, I feel, is a very good metaphor for how computational blockchain works, and what is the underlying philosophical idea behind it, which is, “We want a world without any kind of centralized authority because we can never trust any of them.” And that is the opposite of what we want as a society, in my opinion. “
Related: Web3 projects lost over $ 2 billion due to hacks in H1 2022
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