Former Nintendo of America CEO Reggie Fils-Aimé expresses optimism for blockchain tech
Former Nintendo of America CEO Reggie Fils-Aimé spent part of his time at last month's SXSW festival explaining his personal excitement for the potential of blockchain-backed technology in games.
As spotted by Nintendo Life (via Kotaku), Fils-Aimé responded to a question from Bloomberg's Emily Chang about blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and "play-to-earn" by saying he's "excited" about the technology, and that he sees a world where players can sell virtual goods when they're done with the game.
Fils-Aimé used the phrase "play-to-own," in what might be a bit of expectations-management about what blockchain tech is supposed to be used for. His example was that if blockchain tech were integrated into a game like Animal Crossing, a player who invested 300 hours into creating a beautiful island would be able to sell that island to another player when they were done with the game.
"There’s some games I’ve invested 300 hours in a game. And when I’m ready to move on to something else, wouldn’t it be great to monetize what I’ve built?" he posited.
His praise came with some (less-defined) caveats. He expressed that any implementation of such technology would need to be "good for the player," downplaying the notion of developers using it because it's "interesting" or as a primary means of monetization.
He did not address the (still-looming) environmental issues surrounding blockchain technology, or the plethora of scams and rug-pulls that have become synonymous with the scene.
Fils-Aimé's sentiments mirror what we've heard in private conversations with other game industry higher-ups. Industry leaders from different backgrounds seem to be looking at the prospect of secondhand markets for digital goods with increased eagerness.
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