Epic Games is open to blockchain game developers, but the company has no NFT plans.
Epic welcomes blockchain games but Fortnite NFTs are not expected
Within their various ecosystems, gaming platforms are taking sides on blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and nonfungible tokens (NFTs).
Following rumors that Valve had banned crypto and NFT-related titles from Steam, its major competitor, Epic Games Store shown a friendly stance toward blockchain developers and the usage of cryptocurrency in video games.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney stated that the Epic Games Store will allow developers to use blockchain technology as long as they followed the appropriate laws and disclosed their conditions. Sweeney said that the games should be age-rated by an appropriate group, adding:
“Though Epic’s not using crypto in our games, we welcome innovation in the areas of technology and finance.”
Sweeney told The Verge that when it comes to the use of NFTs in video games, Epic is willing to work with early developers in this field under some limitations as a platform provider. However, he previously made it clear that Epic Games, as a game developer, is not planning to use NFTs in its own products like Fortnite.
The CEO clarified that Epic will not support cryptocurrency transactions through its payment service, so the developers need to use another payment system. Epic Games Store also doesn’t have a plan to integrate blockchain into its client anytime soon.
Epic Games Store, developed by major video game publisher Epic Games, is a platform to purchase and download video games. Launched in 2018, the platform enables users to buy the digital version of a video game via a desktop client and then store it in a library to be downloaded and played whenever they want.
Sweeney’s commentary follows a blockchain game ban on Steam, a prominent digital video game store. Steam’s updated guideline for game developers states that video games that use blockchain technology and “issue or allow exchange of cryptocurrencies or NFTs” are not allowed on the digital store.
Game developer SpacePirate claimed that “Steam’s point of view is that items have value and they don’t allow items that can have real-world value on their platform.”
