Minecraft Enacts Ban on Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)

Microsoft, which owns highly popular 3D sandbox game Minecraft, has announced a ban for non-fungible tokens (NFTs) being used in the game. 

According to a report by CoinDesk, Minecraft has joined a growing list of games to ban the use of NFTs on its platform.

Mojang Studios, the software development house behind Minecraft that was acquired by Microsoft for $2.5 billion in 2014, said in a statement published on the Minecraft website:

“While we are in the process of updating our Minecraft Usage Guidelines to offer more precise guidance on new technologies, we wanted to take the opportunity to share our view that integrations of NFTs with Minecraft are generally not something we will support or allow…

“To ensure that Minecraft players have a safe and inclusive experience, blockchain technologies are not permitted to be integrated inside our client and server applications, nor may Minecraft in-game content such as worlds, skins, persona items, or other mods, be utilized by blockchain technology to create a scarce digital asset. Our reasons follow.

“Some companies have recently launched NFT implementations that are associated with Minecraft world files and skin packs. Other examples of how NFTs and blockchain could be utilized with Minecraft include creating Minecraft collectible NFTs, allowing players to earn NFTs through activities performed on a server, or earning Minecraft NFT rewards for activities outside the game. 

“Each of these uses of NFTs and other blockchain technologies creates digital ownership based on scarcity and exclusion, which does not align with Minecraft values of creative inclusion and playing together. NFTs are not inclusive of all our community and create a scenario of the haves and the have-nots. The speculative pricing and investment mentality around NFTs takes the focus away from playing the game and encourages profiteering, which we think is inconsistent with the long-term joy and success of our players.“

As noted by CoinDesk, Web3 gaming project NFT Worlds, which creates products that integrate with Minecraft, was hit hard by the decision. Prices for the platform’s NFTs fell roughly 70% following Mojang’s announcement to ban NFTs from Minecraft.

NFT Worlds co-founder ArkDev tweeted on July 21:

On the same day, Yat Siu, executive chairman of Animoca Brands, took to Twitter to criticize Microsoft and Mojang:

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Featured Image by mitjaC from Pixabay

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