NFTs Are a Thief of Joy

There’s nothing more fascinating for a gamer than earning real life income through the game. Though streaming services have allowed them to generate revenue streams, it requires a vast reach. With the emergence of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) it has become easier for gamers to convert their in-game items into IRL cash. But the traditional gamers have rejected the concept as they believe it can ruin traditional gaming.

To many, games are emotions, not just a character being controlled in a simulated environment. Sure the concept of NFT can render gaming more interesting but why should these blockchain-based tokens destroy its legacy. Moreover, it can leave a negative footprint on the environment. Regulators across the globe are already discussing the potential harm the digital assets can have due to their energy intensive nature.

According to the data, crypto or blockchain games have amassed a large number of user base. But people must know that this number does not represent even a fraction of the traditional gaming community. Axie Infinity, an NFT and metaverse game, became a sensation in the Philippines during covid-19 outbreak. When people were unable to find sources of income, they found Axie Infinity.

Even those who never got employed, became breadwinners for their families. Now this sounds amazing, but if we lift up our stance to a higher perspective, it is popular in the underprivileged nations where gaming is not a luxury but an income source. Although these games can contribute to reducing frauds.

Usually, people from these countries enter the illicit ecosystem to make their living. Since the rise of cryptocurrencies, fraudulent activities have risen at a faster pace. Malicious actors sitting in such nations try to sell fake schemes to the users and chop off their hands and disappear only to never be found again.

NFTs can corrupt the traditional gaming ecosystem as it will potentially be infested by this insect called greed. Today, we play a game because either we love its story or just for fun, but with the integration of non-fungible tokens the ones who never even played a video game in his/her life will be rushing to play the game. This will affect the ratio of skilled and unskilled gamers on the network too.

If you want to understand what a game means to a community consider Call of Duty: Ghosts. In 2009, the company released the sequel to Modern Warfare and revealed Simon “Ghost” Riley’s character in the game. It became an instant hit and Ghost made a special place in people’s hearts.

But how is all this connected? Because in MW2, Ghost is betrayed during “Loose Ends” where Gen. Shepherd kills him with his .44 Magnum. It was really a gut wrenching moment if you ask me. Call of Duty is famous for its realistic campaigns instead of putting something out of fiction, so bringing the dead back would go against this policy. So they launched COD: Ghosts, an entire game dedicated to a sole character that did not even exist IRL.

Andrew is a blockchain developer who developed his interest in cryptocurrencies while his post-graduation. He is a keen observer of details and shares his passion for writing along with being a developer. His backend knowledge about blockchain helps him give a unique perspective to his writing