Square Enix looks at NFTs and the metaverse: should we worry?

As we have seen over the past few months, not without some concerns, the concepts of NFT, metaverso and Blockchain they are also becoming a trend in gaming and apparently Square Enix he is looking with interest in that direction. The president of the company spoke about it Yosuke Matsuda, in an open letter for the beginning of the year.

Square Enix wants to invest in the metaverse and NFTs

In his letter, aimed at wishing a good start to the year for executives, developers and users, Matsuda made no secret of his interest in the concept of the metaverse, talking about how Facebook has cleared up a new way of understanding digital experiences.

“Facebook changed its name in October to Meta, showing how the metaverse is here to stay – writes Matsuda – I attribute this growth of interest above all thanks to new technologies, such as cloud and 5G, as well as the evolution of the blockchain”. After this stance, which highlights the will of the president of follow Meta’s example, the executive went a little more into the merits of Square Enix’s plans.

“Our medium-term strategy that we unveiled in May 2020 identifies artificial intelligence, cloud and blockchain-based gaming as a new standard,” explains Matsuda, leaving no room for doubt regarding the future of software house; perspectives that, however, are already raising an eyebrow at many fans, who look at this trend with concern.

It is no secret indeed that NFTs are currently at the center of much criticism due to the predatory business model adopted by practically every reality that uses it (just think of the Ubisoft model, practically boycotted in the bud by fans), and to be honest this Square Enix knows it very well, given that Matsuda mentions it in the letter, also explaining to expect a change in the near future.

NFTs don’t like players

One of the passages that caused the greatest sensation in Mastuda’s letters, however, is another. In fact, the president explained that he is aware that many people may not be happy to see small and persistent microtransactions introduced into the games of the company as an integral part of the gaming experience, for obvious reasons. Users that the president defines those who “play for fun”.

However, Matsuda seems convinced that anyone who plays to make a contribution, whatever that means as Square Enix is ​​not a nonprofit company, will find NFTs and the metaverse really useful to their cause. This is precisely because it will put them in a position to make the game more interesting in the first person, a stance that sounds strange at least, and that struggles to hide the company’s desire to further monetize its products rather than to offer a better service to users.

It is no coincidence that players who “play for fun” are the majority, since this is precisely the main purpose of a entertainment media like the video game, and being told by the president of a famous software house like Squre Enix that now the universes that have always been loved by fans could become a sort of great digital world with its economic logic from which it is impossible to escape it is not an attractive prospect, in fact it is the exact opposite.

Not to mention the environmental impact that the implementation of these technologies entails, in direct contrast with the themes of the video games created by the company (see FF VII). At the time of writing, Final Fantasy XIV players are already flooding Square Enix to retrace their steps, but the company has yet to release an official release regarding the backlash it is receiving.

The hope, of course, is that fan voices won’t be ignored.