Steam slams the door on crypto, NFT games — here's why

Steam (Image credit: Steam)

Play-to-earn crypto and NFT games are skyrocketing in popularity. Axie Infinity is one of them; it'south a blockchain-based game that relies on cryptocurrencies such as Smooth Dear Potion. Unfortunately, if Axie Infinity — or whatever other crypto game — has aspirations of landing on Steam (a largely popular game store), they're out of luck.

Valve, the company backside Steam, updated its rules on what it will not permit on its game distribution service: blockchain-based titles are now banned.

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Steam washes its hands of crypto, NFT games

Steam's "What y'all shouldn't publish on Steam" department has a new addition: "Applications built on blockchain technology that issue or allow substitution of cryptocurrencies or NFTs." This was pointed out past SpacePirate Games, the developer behind Age of Rust (a blockchain-based, action-take chances game).

Age of Rust (Image credit: SpacePirate Games)

Customs: A few minutes agone, we were notified that @Steam will be kicking *all blockchain games* off the platform, including Age of Rust, because NFTs have value. Backside the scenes, nosotros've had good communication and have been upfront with Steam. #blockchaingames #NFT 1/four picture.twitter.com/W4pR3Xl63qOctober xiv, 2022

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On October fourteen, SpacePirate Games told its followers that Steam kicked its dark, sci-fi title off the platform considering it involves collecting in-game NFTs.

"A few minutes ago, we were notified that @Steam will be kicking *all blockchain games* off the platform, including Age of Rust, because NFTs accept value," SpacePirate Games tweeted. "They don't permit items that tin accept real-earth value on their platform."

Space Pirate Games concluded that they respect Steam's choice, but they "fundamentally believe" that NFTs and blockchain games are the future, calculation that this is a setback for crypto-based titles.

Blockchain-based gaming is still in its nascent stages. While it'south gotten a lot of traction and success (due east.g. Axie Infinity, Splinterlands and Plants vs. Undead), Steam is likely banning it to play information technology condom. After all, the crypto world is still trying to rectify scalability issues on Ethereum, the most popular blockchain for NFTs. On top of that, the digital-nugget realm attracts scammers and hackers, so for the time being, Steam has an aversion to dabbling in the Wild, Wild West of crypto. However, this may change in the future.

Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games (Steam's game shop rival), recently tweeted that he has no plans to embrace blockchain-based gaming for the same reasons listed above. "We aren't touching NFTs as the whole field is currently tangled up with an intractable mix of scams, interesting decentralized tech foundations, and scams," Sweeney said. Oh, and did he mention scams?

Replied:We aren't touching NFTs as the whole field is currently tangled upwardly with an intractable mix of scams, interesting decentralized tech foundations, and scams.September 27, 2022

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I dig non-fungible tokens as a technology that tin helps fans patronize their favorite artists (and NFTs could even streamline real estate paperwork in the future), but I tin can't say I'm onboard with NFT gaming. Not all blockchain-based titles do this, but in my experience, it just seems similar another way to nickel and dime gamers.

Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Principal's degree in International Journalism, launched her career equally a announcer for MadameNoire'due south business shell in 2022. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business shell, she discovered her passion for tech equally she dove into articles most tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Evidence (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she'southward finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!