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[Draugoth]

After Backlash, Ubisoft Calls Gaming NFTs a ‘Major Change That Will Take Time’ - Decrypt

The publisher is pushing ahead with NFT plans and will “stay true” to its principles amid a new partnership with crypto startup Aleph.im.

decrypt.co

Ubisoft recently became the first traditional gaming giant to implement in-game NFTs with the launch of its Tezos-based Quartz platform, but the publisher faced significant backlash from gamers. Today, alongside announcing a new alliance with Aleph.im, Ubisoft discussed the fan response with Decrypt, calling video game NFTs a “major change” for players.

When the tokenized collectibles first launched in online shooter Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint earlier this month, many fans called the limited-edition digital items pointless or a cynical trend chase. Others suggested that Ubisoft’s plan would harm the environment, despite its use of Tezos, a proof-of-stake blockchain platform that’s considered to be an energy-efficient alternative to the leading NFT platform, Ethereum.

We have received a lot of feedback since the announcement, and we hear both the encouragement and the concerns. We understand where the sentiment towards the technology comes from, and we need to keep taking it into consideration every step of the way.

Genevois continued:

“This experiment is meant to understand how the value proposition of decentralization can be received and embraced by our players. We know it is a major change that will take time, but we will stay true to our three principles.

 

[jshackles]

That's a funny way of saying "major change that makes no fuckin' sense in this context"

 

[Sgt.Asher]

Anyone familiar with tulip mania? That's what NFT's remind me of, just more stupid.

 

[LazyParrot]

Even Peter Molyneux, aka the biggest lying liar who ever lied, managed to sell 50 million dollars worth of NFT “land” for his new game that barely anyone has ever heard of and that doesn’t even have a release date, but Ubisoft apparently can’t sell shit for a mainline entry in one of their major AAA franchises.

Maybe they just suck at this.

 

[BennyBlanco]

In other words, they will let other companies do it first and take the brunt of the backlash, then do it again when it’s commonplace

 

[Punished Miku]

They want you to stop being mad.

So basically, its already working. Stay the course and don't ever let up. Don't stop being vocal. Don't stop being mad about their bullshit. They're going to try and wait out the clock.

 

[chromhound]

 

[kingfey]

Glad stupid gamers are buying this garbage.

These shits ruins your life. Its not worth spending your money on it. If you want to spend your money like stupid person, then spend it on something that has value. Not digital garbage peice of shit, that has no value.

 

[Feel Like I'm On 42]

This fucking industry

 

[ReBurn]

NFT's could be great for something like allowing people to sell or trade digital games when they're finished with them. Instead developers are going to try to use them to make expensive "rare" horse armor.

 

[Ebidramon]

Who cares, there are already only countless normal games I can play available.

 

[HarryKS]

They're even using Tezo...ha.

 

[The Pleasure]

Hey Ubisoft, Uwe Boll WISED FROM HIS GWAVE to send you this message.

 

[Editaur]

Oh Ubi you little rascal. Abuse your customers slowly.

 

[Zannegan]

Who cares, there are already only countless normal games I can play available.

Sure you do, for now.

If history shows us anything, it's that once there's a moneymaking trend that works, all major game publishers will start injecting it into anything and everything they can get away with; and they'll only drop it once it starts actively harming a game's sales. Just look at lootboxes.

Making people aware hopefully kickstarts the pushback, bringing us to NFTs' "Battlefront 2 moment" faster.

 

[Nickolaidas]

Hey Ubisoft, Uwe Boll WISED FROM HIS GWAVE to send you this message.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Whomever buys this is an idiot. And I thought general mtx buying weapons skins and hats were bad enough.

Now you can do it again, but get a NFT serial number applied to it making all the modern day individuals feel even more special.

 

[Ebidramon]

Sure you do, for now.

If history shows us anything, it's that once there's a moneymaking trend that works, all major game publishers will start injecting it into anything and everything they can get away with; and they'll only drop it once it starts actively harming a game's sales. Just look at lootboxes.

Making people aware hopefully kickstarts the pushback, bringing us to NFTs' "Battlefront 2 moment" faster.

That may apply to everyone else, but not to me.

Believe me, gaming simply isn't THAT important to me.

 

[rofif]

Me - hoarding my discs, so I can keep playing my old games when these assholes ruin our stuff
We need patch management. I want to be able to download patches of any version and I want and backup to usb

 

[Coolwhhip]

This reminds me of micro transactions and season passes. First outrage, then in 2 years kids will burn their parents money on it for sure.

 

[Trimesh]

Please don't use the term "minted" for this garbage - NTFs are "shat out".

 

[SantaC]

What does NFT stand for?

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Even Peter Molyneux, aka the biggest lying liar who ever lied, managed to sell 50 million dollars worth of NFT “land” for his new game that barely anyone has ever heard of and that doesn’t even have a release date, but Ubisoft apparently can’t sell shit for a mainline entry in one of their major AAA franchises.

Maybe they just suck at this.

Ubisoft is not selling anything. People don't seem to understand what's going on.

 

[TonyK]

I hope I am not the only one that even following these news, reading about what is NFT, discussing it with friends, I continue without any clue about what the fucking is NFT.

 

[DGrayson]

These big gaming companies will not let this go, it will come eventually.

Hint - Everything that brings "additional revenue streams" will be in games eventually. Including full blown gambling with real money.

 

[Trimesh]

NFT's could be great for something like allowing people to sell or trade digital games when they're finished with them. Instead developers are going to try to use them to make expensive "rare" horse armor.

The problem is that they do nothing that can't be achieved using simpler methods - for example, the "transferrable DRM" use case you just mentioned could certainly be done using NFTs - but since in the end the token would need to be validated by the developer anyway the whole notional advantage of blockchain technology - the elimination of trusted third parties - just evaporated anyway and you might just as well use a centralized database.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

Just give us the Origins 60 fps patch UBI and after that we can part ways

Cheers

 

[Trimesh]

What does NFT stand for?

"Non fungible token" - it differs from stuff like Bitcoin because all bitcoins are in principle interchangeable (in economics this makes it what's known as a "fungible commodity") - these are different because they are all distinct and non-interchangeable. This property makes them highly useful for scams and deluding the weak-minded into thinking that they are valuable.

 

[LazyParrot]

Ubisoft is not selling anything. People don't seem to understand what's going on.

Yeah, yeah I know. They're technically not the people selling these. But they're putting them out there to be sold with the hope of making a profit by taking a cut of player transactions and controlling the supply.

Bottom line is they want these to sell, and it's not working out so far.

 

[TheGodfather07]

thankfully we still have great games coming from other publishers, so fuck ubisoft. what game from them were people planning on buying anyway because they have nothing! i have been ignoring ubisoft for years.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Yeah, yeah I know. They're technically not the people selling these. But they're putting them out there to be sold with the hope of making a profit by taking a cut of player transactions and controlling the supply.

Bottom line is they want these to sell, and it's not working out so far.

No, they're not taking any cuts.

 

[LazyParrot]

No, they're not taking any cuts.

Better tell Ubisoft, I don't think they know.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Better tell Ubisoft, I don't think they know.

That's in general, for the future. For this drop, they're not taking any cuts.

 

[STARSBarry]

That's in general, for the future. For this drop, they're not taking any cuts.

No they made the cuts in game content already so they could turn round and have them sold as NFT's

 

[DGrayson]

That's in general, for the future. For this drop, they're not taking any cuts.

Its just a way to soften up people and get them used to it. They aren't doing this for charity.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Its just a way to soften up people and get them used to it. They aren't doing this for charity.

Yeah, that's one of the purposes. The other (imo) main purpose is to see whether a dead game gets more player engagement with this and if yes, how much more. That's the ultimate goal for the future, to increase engagament. The potential small cut from each NFT transaction is just a bonus.

 

[CuteFaceJay]

Its a major scam made by con artists looking for suckers. Seems that Ubi Execs & investors might be the suckers falling for this shit.

 

[Tams]

I just don't get it.

Why would you want an NFT?

 

[Notabueno]

Even Peter Molyneux, aka the biggest lying liar who ever lied, managed to sell 50 million dollars worth of NFT “land” for his new game that barely anyone has ever heard of and that doesn’t even have a release date, but Ubisoft apparently can’t sell shit for a mainline entry in one of their major AAA franchises.

Maybe they just suck at this.

He didn't sell 50 million dollars, it's just call money laundering.

 

[winjer]

Let me fix that for you:

After Backlash, Ubisoft Calls Gaming NFTs a ‘Major SCAM That Will Take Time’​

 

[Miles708]

“This experiment is meant to understand how the value proposition of decentralization can be received and embraced.

Ah yes, the thing i care most when playing games. To embrace the value proposition.

These damn marketing drones I swear.

 

[sircaw]

They smell blood in the water, they won't let go, just reinvent and try and shovel it as something new.

 

[Majukun]

well they are not wrong..it's since 2006 that the videogame industry forces changes that ae of no value to the customer but of pretty huge value to the industry through sheer force of endurance..there's no reason why they should think this is not the same case

 

[jakinov]

Lets look at all the things that gamers were whiny about that ended up becoming massively successful for big companies

- Mobile gaming
- DLC/Microtransactions
- Multiplayer gaming
- GaaS

 

[Kacho]

There’s just too many idiots willing to throw their money at stupid shit like this. It’s only a matter of time before it becomes commonplace.

 

[Fbh]

Somewhere, whoever owns Neopets now is looking at this whole NFT thing and getting ready for a comback like:

 

[BusierDonkey]

Imagine the shock when they realized gamers don't believe plain grey helmet #237 isn't actually unique.

They should slap some weeb art on all this shit, it would fly off the digital shelves. Hope they never figure that one out (they will).

 

[brian0057]

Imagine unironically giving post-2010 Ubisoft money.

 

[Concern]

Stopped buying Ubisoft games years ago. Not even on price drops lol. Let them burn themselves

 

[kyussman]

I've mentioned a few times now that I'm currently taking a break from gaming.......I'm really not sure if I'm coming back right now,this industry is a joke.