Minecraft Says no to NFTs because they Create'scarcity And Exclusion'

Minecraft players Minecraft will not be able to purchase in-game content like worlds, persona items, skins and other mods through NFTs.

Minecraft, the best-selling video game ever, will not support NFTs because they "create a scenario of the haves and the not-so-haves".

Mojang Studios, a Minecraft developer, announced yesterday (20 July) that NFTs are incompatible with the game's fundamental values in a well-written post on the Minecraft site.

"NFTs and other blockchain technologies create digital ownership that is based on scarcity and exclusion which is not in line with Minecraft values of creative inclusion and playing together," the company wrote.

"The price speculation of NFTs and the investment mindset that surrounds them takes the focus off of the game and encourages profiteering. We believe that this is not compatible with long-term happiness and success for our players."

Minecraft has said that the statement is in response to comments from members of the community who sought clarifications on the studio's stance on NFTs and blockchain.

This means that Minecraft unlike other virtual world games, does not allow blockchain integrations in the server or client applications. In-game content such as worlds, skinsand other items and other mods will not be based on NFTs.

Microsoft-owned Mojang has also said it is concerned that some third-party NFTs could not be trustworthy and could end costing the players who purchase NFTs. It outlined scenarios where third-party NFT managers could "disappear suddenly" or NFTs could "be sold at inflated or fraudulent prices".

"We acknowledge that the creation of our game is intrinsically valuable and we strive to create a marketplace where these values can be acknowledged."

The online gaming community has seen an increase in interest in blockchain technology such as NFTs which was discussed at Future Human earlier this year.

Companies such as GameStop have expressed confidence in NFTs as a significant feature in future gaming, launching its own NFT marketplace.

Some companies aren't yet all-in. Uooka EA's CEO had previously stated that NFTs and blockchain could be the future of gaming, but recently added: "Right now, it's not something that we're driving to the wall".