Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 Maker Blizzard say no to NFTs

While some companies multiply the lucrative scams behind NFTs, others try to avoid any association right from the start. After Activision Blizzard polled players about their interest in blockchain technology, Blizzard chief Mike Ybarra was quick to drop speculation about whether the studio will put NFTs in upcoming games.

“Nobody does NFTs,” recently promoted Blizzard chief chirp during the Weekend. The announcement came after word from a survey measuring player interest in NFTs began making the rounds online and was picked up by diverse the games newsletter Locations. The survey, apparently prepared by market research firm YouGov on behalf of Call of duty Publisher Activision Blizzard asked players what they think of other recent trends as well, including Game Pass and “Metaverse gaming experiences.”

“The company conducts regular surveys on a wide range of emerging topics to better understand the interests of our players, regardless of our involvement in such trends,” a Blizzard representative said. Kotaku.

Buzzwords like metaverse, NFT, and play-to-win all go hand in hand and have been embraced by big-pocket investors at the same time that many players have revolted against them. Game companies are similarly divided. Publishers like Ubisoft And Square Enix Optimistic about the future of blockchain gaming, while those who love EA And take two It appears to be taking a wait-and-see approach.

But while Ybarra’s comments put Blizzard firmly in the “rejection” camp, not everyone believed him. for him tweetReactions are full of skeptical Blizzard fans, in part due to the company’s past. world of cans Help lay the groundwork for cosmetics in live service games, and Diablo III It was poorly launched with a fully operational auction house. Experience It was a disaster and short-livedBut it’s now essentially what a number of companies chasing NFTs seem to want to recreate.

Blizzard confirmed that the fearsome auction house won’t be back with it Diablo IVBut the company clung to some other moribund trends. Note and watch It is in particular one of the few remaining games Which still contains loot boxesand these are supposed to be part of Monitor 2 also. So it’s not hard to imagine how NFTs could play a role in this.

Meanwhile, awaiting final approval from investors and regulators, Activision Blizzard will soon become a part of Microsoft, and the Xbox maker has kept its distance from the blockchain fad, with Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer describing recent examples as “exploitative.” But he didn’t close the door completely in front of her though, Says Axios In an interview last year that people are still discovering NFTs.