The topic of non-fungible tokens in games is a highly controversial one. High energy consumption means that creating NFTs can be damaging to the environment. Their usefulness as a financial investment is also highly suspect. Additionally, many gamers are concerned that some game publishers and developers may see NFTs as another way to squeeze even more money out of their customers.

But while some big-name companies are looking into NFT’s, some gamers may wonder how popular the technology is among game developers and their studios. Fortunately, they can find answers in the Game Developers Conference’s annual State of the Industry survey. According to the GDC, 29% of developers surveyed said their studio is interested in or already developing NFTs. Similarly, 28% said their studio was interested in or already using cryptocurrency.

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That news may seem worrying for gamers who don’t want to see developers forcing NFTs on their favorite franchises. However, that still leaves 70% of studios uninterested in NFT development. Additionally, only 1% said their studio was actively developing non-fungible tokens. An additional 6% said their studio was “very interested,” with 21% answering “somewhat interested.” That means NFT’s remains relatively unpopular with game studios, at least for now.

gold Bitcoin coin

Support for cryptocurrency breaks down similarly, with only 1% of studios actively using crypto as a payment tool. Another 6% said their studio was “very interested” in cryptocurrency, with 21% of respondents answering, “somewhat interested.” That leaves 72% of developers saying their studio has no current interest in blockchain-based payment systems. The report doesn’t indicate to what degree support for crypto overlaps with interest in NFTs, though one might assume it’s likely to be significant. It’s also worth reemphasizing that these numbers show the level of interest among game studios, not necessarily the developers themselves.

The GDC also asked developers to give their personal opinions on NFTs and cryptocurrency. The overall view was primarily negative, though some supporters were among those questioned. One anonymous game developer went so far as to say, “It’s the wave of the future.” Others were less optimistic, with one developer commenting, “How this hasn’t been identified as a pyramid scheme is beyond me.” Another comment read, “I’d rather not endorse burning a rainforest down to confirm someone ‘owns’ a jpeg.” A few went so far as to argue against the very concept of blockchain technologies, viewing them as needlessly predatory and environmentally indefensible.

Others saw merit in the underlying blockchain technology but doubted crypto and NFT’s long-term viability. “I think it is a tech looking for a purpose,” said one developer, with others expressing similar sentiments. Several others also noted that cryptocurrency and NFTs are still niche markets with little public appeal. Ultimately, many developers felt that the culture and perception of crypto and NFTs need to change before becoming a valuable part of game development.

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Source: Game Developers Conference