Sega have backtracked on their plans to offer NFTs.
Sega backtracks on NFT plans amid backlash
The 'Sonic the Hedgehog' creators had intended to offer non-fungible tokens - a gaming feature which operates almost as a one-of-a-kind trading card and at their highest level are part of Ethereum cryptocurrency - but have now said that while they have "started several studies" within the field, "nothing is decided at this point."
In an interview, Sega CEO Haruko Satomi said: "In terms of NFT, we would like to try out various experiments and we have already started many different studies and considerations but nothing is decided at this point regarding P2E."
The Sega boss added that while there have been "many announcements" regarding NFTs, Sega ar yet to "carefully assess" the process of issuing NFTS.
He told TweakTown: "There have been many announcements about this already including at overseas but there are users who show negative reactions at this point. We need to carefully assess many things such as how we can mitigate the negative elements, how much we can introduce this within the Japanese regulation, what will be accepted and what will not be by the users. Then, we will consider this further if this leads to our mission 'Constantly Creating, Forever Captivating', but if it is perceived as simple money-making, I would like to make a decision not to proceed.
Haruki's comments regarding the inclusion of NFTs come less than a year after it was announced that in April 2021 in a newsletter that it "would start selling NFT digital contents that utilise blockchain technology."