Minecraft has joined the growing list of games that ban the use of NFTs on their platform

Mojang Studios, the software development house behind Minecraft that was acquired by Microsoft for $2.5 billion in 2014, said in a statement posted on the Minecraft website:

“While we are in the process of updating our Minecraft usage guidelines to offer more specific guidance on new technologies, we wanted to take the opportunity to share our view that NFT integrations with Minecraft are generally not something we will support or allow….

“To ensure that Minecraft players have a safe and inclusive experience, blockchain technologies are not allowed to be integrated inside our client and server applications, and Minecraft game content, such as worlds, skins, persona elements, or other mods, cannot be used by blockchain technology to create a scarce digital asset. Here are our reasons.

“Some companies have recently launched NFT implementations that are associated with Minecraft world files and skin packs. Other examples of how NFTs and blockchain could be used with Minecraft include creating Minecraft collectible NFTs, allowing players to earn NFTs through activities performed on a server, or to earn Minecraft NFT rewards for activities outside of the game.

“Each of these uses of NFTs and other blockchain technologies creates digital property based on scarcity and exclusion, which does not align with Minecraft’s values of creative inclusion and shared play. NFTs are not inclusive of our entire community and create a scenario between the haves and have-nots. The speculative pricing and investment mentality around NFTs takes attention away from the game and encourages profit, which we believe is incompatible with the long-term joy and success of our players. “

Web3 game project NFT Worlds, which creates products that integrate with Minecraft, was hit hard by the decision. Prices for NFTs on the platform dropped by about 70 percent after Mojang’s announcement to ban NFTs from Minecraft.

NFT Worlds co-founder ArkDev tweeted on July 21:

We should have a plan of action for @nftworldsNFT announced this weekend. Keep an eye on Discord / Twitter announcements.

– ArkDev.wrld | NFT Worlds (@iamarkdev) July 21, 2022

On the same day, Yat Siu, executive chairman of Animoca Brands, criticized Microsoft and Mojang on Twitter:

2/ #minecraft has directly caused pain and suffering to an innocent and blameless minority who was purged and cleansed without regard to their circumstances and without advance notice causing at least $100m in damages https://t.co/sHeZ5fu6ul (we have no stake in @nftworlds)

– Yat Siu (@ysiu) July 21, 2022