Sega exits the blockchain gaming industry. Learn more about their motivations for leaving, their plans for NFT, and their thoughts on play-to-earn games.
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Sega Corp Steps Back From Blockchain Gaming Market
Will Not Create A Blockchain Game For Now
Sega Corp, known for classic titles including Sonic The Hedgehog and Yakuza, will be exiting the blockchain gaming market following the worldwide cryptocurrency sector decline.
To protect the value of its properties, Sega Co-Chief Operating Officer Shuji Utsumi has stated that the company will not license its important franchises to third-party blockchain gaming ventures. Furthermore, the corporation has temporarily shelved plans to create its own blockchain game due to worries about the genre's lack of entertainment value.
Avoiding Devaluation of Major Franchises
Sega's decision to exclude its most well-known series from third-party blockchain gaming initiatives originates from a desire to safeguard the perceived value of its content.
In an interview with Bloomberg News, Shuji Utsumi was concerned that combining the company's blockbuster titles with blockchain games might devalue their brand and harm the player experience. That's why for now, Sega has decided to keep a distance from the blockchain gaming industry.
Utsumi also attacked the prevalent play-to-earn
strategy in the current blockchain gaming environment. He criticized the repetitive gameplay dynamics and questioned the use of playing games that lack sufficient enjoyment value. Sega's decision to abandon blockchain gaming is motivated by the conviction that this market needs to provide users with compelling and pleasurable experiences.
Selective Engagement with NFTs
While Sega itself is exiting the blockchain gaming space, it still intends to allow third-party partners to employ lesser-known characters from franchises such as Three Kingdoms and Virtua Fighter for NFT (Non-Fungible Token) purposes. NFTs act as ownership certificates for digital assets.
Sega's initial announcement in 2021 about its plan to investigate NFTs had garnered criticism from gamers concerned about the environmental impact of crypto technology. Sega seeks to tread carefully in this divisive domain by dealing with NFTs only in specific contexts and restricting their affiliation with particular characters.
Source:
Bloomberg Interview With SEGA Executive
