Square Enix are threatening to overshadow the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy 7 by partnering with Enjin, a cryptocurrency platform, to launch non-fungible tokens (NFTs) based on the long-running JRPG series. To coincide with the anniversary, Squeenix will be releasing a digital collection of cards on Enjin’s Efinity network for owners of physical cards that are expected to go on sale in 2023. There's an NFT linked to a Cloud Strife action figure too. Feel free to watch the trailer for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth below to take your mind off this woeful event.
If you were so inclined, you could plonk down $160 (£134) for the Cloud Strife action figure, which comes with an NFT to gawp at on your smartphone or computer. That's the 'Digital Plus Edition' of the statue, but it's $30 (£25) cheaper if you just buy the standard figure with no NFT attached. Not a good look, Square Enix.
It gets worse, as Square Enix have even drawn attention to the possibility of not being able to use the NFTs if Enjin's service was to ever end. Under a section titled 'Caution before Purchasing' on the listing for the Cloud statue, Squeenix say "Warning: In case the Enjin services becomes unavailable in the future, you may lose access to the NFT digital certificate of authenticity and digital version of the figure".
"This partnership marks a coming-of-age phase for digital assets and entertainment; Square Enix, an esteemed developer with iconic intellectual property, is paving the way for the industry," Enjin executive Witek Radomski said. Enjin say they offer “environmentally-friendly solutions for building decentralised gaming products", and have committed themselves to making their NFTs carbon-neutral by 2030. Maybe just don’t use the
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