Minecraft team announced a change in in-game policies that will surely affect the usage of NFTs in the famous video game. Members of the community have been asking the team for clarification and transparency regarding Mojang Studios’ and Minecraft’s positions on Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs or non-fungible tokens) and the blockchain in recent weeks.
The Minecraft Usage Guidelines are in the process of being updated so that more precise guidance can be provided on how to use new technologies. However, the team decided to take this opportunity to share their opinion that they will generally not allow the integration of NFTs with Minecraft and that, as a result, they will not support them.
What is the Effect?
This document outlines how a Minecraft server owner can charge for access to the server and that each player should have access to the same set of features whenever they access the server.
As long as people have access to the same content, Minecraft will remain a community where everyone has the chance to enjoy the game together. However, NFTs can produce scarcity and exclusion models that conflict with the Guidelines and the spirit of the game, which is against the spirit and guidelines of Minecraft.
There is no current plan to integrate blockchain technologies within the Minecraft client and server applications in order to ensure that players enjoy a safe and inclusive experience. These technologies are also not allowed to be incorporated within Minecraft content like worlds, skins, avatar items, or other mods that could be used to create a scarce digital asset using blockchain technology. The question is, why is this the case?
There is an announcement that states that the use of NFTs and other blockchain technology will lead to digital ownership based on scarcity and exclusion, which is at odds with what Minecraft values, which are collaboration and creative inclusion.
The announcement continues:
“We will also be paying close attention to how blockchain technology evolves over time to ensure that the above principles are withheld and determine whether it will allow for more secure experiences or other practical and inclusive applications in gaming. However, we have no plans of implementing blockchain technology into Minecraft right now.”
The problem with NFTs is that they do not include everyone in the community, which creates a scenario of havings and having-not in the society. NFTs are speculatively priced, and investment mentalities are prevalent, which encourages profiteering, which is in conflict with the long-term success of our players and their joy when playing the game long term. This disconnects the focus from playing the game and encourages profiteering.
