Two weeks ago, Valve Corporation dropped a bomb by announcing a ban for all Blockchain games on the Steam platform.
Enjin, and the Blockchain Game Alliance, along with 26 other NFT-based games, decided to take action and invite everyone to sign their petition to reverse the ban on the Steam platform.
Cryptocurrencies are changing the world as we know it, and the play-to-earn model, thanks to NFTs, is changing the gaming industry for good. Steam’s decision is not good for both sides.
Crypto Games want Steams exposure and services, while Valve will be left behind if they insist on not supporting NFT games.
Blockchain games may not be much similar to traditional games, which may be considered a significant risk. But these games give a chance to players not to waste their time and efforts, yet make something out of it.
With a tweet shared yesterday by Enjin, it seems that Steam has allowed a game which was not named to use external databases to grant NFTs in-game. They do state though that the NFT should be granted only once and should not change ownership. Clearly, those responsible for the ban do not understand the technology.
Blockchain games are pioneering a number of new concepts that will invigorate the gaming industry for players and publishers alike. To cut-off this burgeoning sector at such a crucial stage of development is to ignore the remarkable progress we have achieved this year, while creating unfair access to market for incumbents. We wish to invite an open dialogue with the people at Valve, as well as the broader mainstream gaming industry, to better understand their perspectives on the challenges ahead, and to determine how we can collaborate more effectively in future
Sebastien Borget, President, Blockchain Game Alliance
Blockchain gaming has been the far west of crypto for the past three years, with multiple scams and rug pulls. However, triple-A games have emerged through the swamp, and dominant companies in the gaming industry such as Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, and others are exploring NFTs to provide complete ownership to the players.
Decentralization with cryptocurrency is often misunderstood and viewed as a threat to the status quo. In the case of players owning NFT gaming assets, closed platforms see it as competition. The narrative from those walled gardens regarding blockchain technologies is similar—it’s either not in line with their core model, or the technology is simply labeled a larger risk. The future of gaming is decentralized player owned assets, where gamers are valued for their time and efforts spent in-game. Whether that’s an NFT or another asset class, change is happening.
Chris LoVerme, CEO of SpacePirate Games
We are confident that this is a temporary decision from Steam, and they will reconsider soon enough.
Until then, we encourage you to sign the petition and contribute to the organized effort for Steam to change its decision.
Here you can find the Open Letter and also the petition.