Minecraft team says NFTs and blockchain are, well, blocked

polygon.com:

Blockchain technologies and NFTs are not welcome in or around Minecraft, developer Mojang said Wednesday, in a statement that outlined the developer’s stance on how users can and (for the most part) cannot use their game. Mojang cited numerous concerns related to NFTs and using Minecraft to create and distribute them, including security issues, fraud, and establishing a precedent of haves and have-nots on Minecraft servers.

On the official Minecraft website, Mojang addressed players and creators “actively involved in the buying, selling, or trading of NFTs that make use of Minecraft (like skins or worlds)” to explain its stance on blockchain and NFTs in its game. The developer’s message was clear: “[B]lockchain technologies are not permitted to be integrated inside our client and server applications, nor may Minecraft in-game content such as worlds, skins, persona items, or other mods, be utilized by blockchain technology to create a scarce digital asset.”

The developer points out that some third-party companies are already trying to utilize Minecraft as the basis for creating and distributing NFTs, either through direct purchases or by earning them, in or out of the game. That’s a non-starter for Mojang, which says third-party NFTs “may not be reliable and may end up costing players who buy them.” The developer cited fraudulent sales and artificially inflated prices of the digital goods, and says rarity or exclusivity in Minecraft runs counter to its inclusive philosophy.

Mojang underscored its stance on blockchain and NFTs in Minecraft with the following guidance:

[To] ensure that Minecraft players have a safe and inclusive experience, blockchain technologies are not permitted to be integrated inside our Minecraft