Minecraft Just Took A Strong Stance On NFTs

Some companies and studios have embraced NFTs as a marketing gimmick, but Mojang isn't counted among them. The developer behind "Minecraft" — which has the distinction of being the most popular game of all time — wants to make its stance on NFTs clear, and it has provided some specific guidance for its creators and players interested in the technology.

It's not surprising that questions about blockchain tech and "Minecraft" have repeatedly surfaced. A number of games have popped up around blockchain tech, implementing both NFTs and cryptocurrencies as a way to incentivize players. These digital tokens have arguably become mainstream through a number of other avenues, as well, and not just because of weird monkey drawings. Football fans recently had the chance to get NFTs with NFL tickets, plus we've seen multiple instances of NFTs used to hype movies like "Space Jam: A New Legacy." Does the digital asset have a place in the "Minecraft" world?

In a recent blog post, Mojang Studios announced that it doesn't support NFTs in relation to "Minecraft" because the non-fungible tokens are "not inclusive of all our community and create a scenario of the haves and the have-nots." It's not really surprising Mojang has publicly taken this stance, as Bill Gates voiced some harsh criticism of NFTs and cryptocurrency a while back at a TechCrunch talk on climate change (via CNBC).

There, he called out non-fungible tokens and the entire cryptocurrency industry as "100% based on fool's theory" because these assets attract buyers who are willing to pay more for an already overpriced item. He also was suspicious that cryptocurrency was designed to "avoid taxation or any sort of government rules." Instead, Gates said he would prefer to invest money in tangible products like a farm or company that makes products.

Mojang explained its rationale, noting that it wants the game to be inclusive rather than exclusive. "Each of these uses of NFTs and other blockchain technologies creates digital ownership based on scarcity and exclusion, which does not align with Minecraft values of creative inclusion and playing together." The Microsoft-owned company also believes that NFT pricing "encourages profiteering" and may shift players' focus away from enjoying the game, not to mention the risk of fraud, third-party unreliability, and other common criticisms the technology has faced.