Minecraft is a highly customizable game space with plenty of different third-party expansions that add even more to its mechanics and features. So, it comes as no surprise that the Minecraft community has produced thousands of mods since the game’s release. This includes blockchain and NFT-based add-ons.
However, Mojang recently released a statement on the inclusion of NFTs in Minecraft. A recent post on the game’s official website explicitly details that Minecraft will not support NFT integrations in its game space. This poses a problem for any NFT-based Minecraft extensions, most notably NFT Worlds.
NFT Worlds Explained
NFT Worlds isn’t exactly a mod in the traditional sense. It’s better described as an extension of Minecraft’s existing mechanics that allow for blockchain integration and NFT trading. More specifically, the project produced 10,000 different Minecraft worlds, and each one is an NFT that can be built upon and customized.
The team behind NFT Worlds decided to build an NFT space within and around Minecraft because the game in its current state is easily accessible and highly customizable. Thus, the developer would have a hefty baseline to work with, primarily Minecraft’s already existing features, and then build from that. Many in the NFT community lauded the team for the innovation since the NFT Minecraft worlds opened plenty of possibilities for traders, especially in light of the recent drop in NFT sales.
Migrating the NFT Space from Minecraft
This will soon come to a halt, however, following Mojang’s recent statement on Minecraft and NFTs. It states that while the Minecraft Usage Guidelines allow server owners to charge other players for access, said access must include the same functionalities. Implementing NFTs into the game space would conflict with this requirement because NFTs thrive on artificial scarcity.
In other words, Minecraft NFTs will inevitably lead to unequal access among the Minecraft player base. According to Mojang, “…NFTs and other blockchain technologies [create] digital ownership based on scarcity and exclusion, which does not align with Minecraft values of creative inclusion and playing together.” Mojang also notes that the mentality surrounding NFTs detracts players from the long-term enjoyment of the game as they might focus, instead, on making a profit from its play-to-win mechanics. By the end of the statement, Mojang explicitly states that blockchain technology and NFT integration will not be permitted within Minecraft.
This new rule poses problems for NFT Worlds and other similar programs as they will no longer be allowed to piggyback on Mojang’s IP. However, NFT Worlds has since released its own statement in response. The team intends to build a new game from the ground up. It will reportedly have the core mechanics of Minecraft but with “modernization and active development” that the original sandbox game lacks. The statement then goes into how this is a battle between Web2 and Web3, describing a “philosophical conflict” over what the Internet truly is.
And as compelling as the NFT Worlds statement sounds, it honestly isn’t all that surprising that Mojang would rather detach itself from a product as volatile as NFTs — and that’s not to mention the many scams and controversies attached to the NFT space. Equally unsurprising is the notion that game developers would dislike it when third-party companies use their IP to make a profit in such a way that goes against the guidelines.
Whatever the case, it seems NFT Worlds’ migration to its new game is underway, and the age of Minecraft NFTs is coming to a close. Whether Mojang’s policies will change remains to be seen but, for now, no blockchain and no NFTs will be allowed.
Minecraft is available now for Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.