in a nutshell
- Rockstar Games said it is no longer able to use NFTs and cryptocurrencies on its online Grand Theft Auto V servers.
- Some online servers use NFTs and/or cryptographic tokens to represent ownership or exclusive access to unique items.
perfectly lined up Web3– native game built around NFTshas also seen fan-driven attempts to add NFTs and crypto tokens to popular online games such as Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto V. Ban Web3 elements from Minecraft This summer, Rockstar Games did the same with its popular action franchise.
Rockstar Games last week updated website It stipulates that servers run by fans of Grand Theft Auto V will no longer be able to use cryptocurrencies or crypto-assets, especially NFTs.
Fans have been running so-called “roleplaying servers” for Grand Theft Auto V for years and are popular on streaming platforms like Twitch. Role-playing servers that require fan modification of PC games let players take on the role of non-playable characters (NPCs) in the world and interact with them online.
Some of these servers implement NFTs and crypto tokens as a way of giving players ownership of their own assets in a persistent game world, or as a way of providing regular players with certain exclusive perks. doing. In some instances, Grand Theft Auto V servers offer special cars and weapons represented as NFT assets.
Popular rapper Dirk “Lil Dirk” Banks recently launched his own GTA roleplaying server with an NFT asset called Trench.On Saturday, Lil Durk’s Only the Family Gaming organization murmured Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive, has been contacted by legal counsel to confirm that it is shutting down its servers.
“We intend to do what is right by Take-Two and Rockstar and have no choice but to comply with their demands,” the statement said. increase.”
Other popular modded servers may cross the same line. in September, Decryption wrote about Brazilian gaming organization Loud and its Web3-centric parent company, Spacecaps. The company’s Snack Club division operates a GTA server called Cidade Alta that uses NFTs for exclusive items.
Loud co-founder Matthew Ho said: Decryption After receiving notice from Rockstar Games today about a violation of our Terms of Service, we will make the necessary changes to our servers within 14 days.
“The revamped experience on our server was created for experimental/proof-of-concept purposes and was never core to the original experience,” Ho said. Decryption“We have validated an interesting model and we look forward to applying these learnings to our new platform.”
Another company, MyMetaverse, runs GTA Server powered by NFT powered by Enjin’s Enjinverse platform. Polka dot. Decryption We reached out to representatives from Enjin and Rockstar Games, but neither of them responded immediately.
NFTs are blockchain tokens that can be used to represent ownership of unique items such as playable video game assets, artwork, and collectibles. This technology can power games that allow users to own, trade and sell their assets. Axie Infinitygenerated over $4 billion in NFT trading volume —but had a hard time Since last year’s explosive success.
In July, Microsoft and developer Mojang announced their next plans. Ban NFTs and Crypto Tokens We prohibit unofficial Web3 derivative projects using Minecraft assets from fan-run Minecraft servers. In the post, the companies said NFT’s scarcity model, which limits access and functionality to asset owners, goes against the “spirit of Minecraft.”
An actual ban has not yet been enacted.This move influenced the development of NFT worldan unofficial derivative game built on the Ethereum Scaling Network, polygonThe game will be developed on its own platform instead of being built on top of Minecraft.
Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto V are both big hits. These are his two of the best-selling games of all time, with Minecraft selling his 238 million copies (As of April 2021) and Grand Theft Auto V, with 170 million copies sold (from this month).
Interestingly, Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive, is actually enthusiastic about NFTs and crypto. The company acquired his mobile/casual game studio Zynga earlier this year, Exploring “Web3 Opportunities” collectively, As Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick claimed in January. Additionally, the recent Take-Two Invested in NFT game studio Horizon.
Steam, a marketplace and platform for popular PC games, also Banned NFTs and cryptographic elements From being included in the game. However, rival platform Epic Games Store Adopt Web3 games It complies with its rules and laws and bears the following titles: Blancos Block Party When star atlas Available in stores.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated after publication to include comments from Loud.
