Let’s just get that easy, obvious joke out of the way now: Reggie’s the body is ready for blockchain. Lots of fun, move on … But yeah, apparently the former Nintendo of America COO and president is a fan of blockchain technology and game-to-own games, with the proviso that it “makes sense for the player.”
At last month’s SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, Reggie Fils-Aimé told about her careertime with Nintendo, and things he has been doing since retiring in 2019. And as seen by Nintendo’s lifehe also spent some time talking about blockchain technology and its future in games.
When he is asked his thoughts on current rise in NFTs, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologyFils-Aimé shared that he is a “believer” in technology and likes where it is headed, calling it a “convincing” technology. He further explained that it could be used to help drive “play-to-own” experiences in games, by letting players sell digital items they have earned or created in a video game.
“I also believe in the concept of ‘play-to-own’ in video games,” said Fils-Aimé. “And I say that as a player, where I may have invested 50 hours in a game, a hundred hours in a game … There are some games, I have invested 300 hours in a game. And when I’m ready to go then to something else, would not it be great to make money on what I have built? ”
Fils-Aimé then gave an example that suggested that many people would be interested in buying his Animal Crossing: New Horizons the island, and how he would like to be able to “make money on it.”
“Blockchain technology embedded in code and in development would allow me to do that,” he said. “So I believe in technology and where it’s headed.”
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Fils-Aimé may have sensed that his interest in blockchain technology could be seen as a bad look, and quickly added that any kind of blockchain-like technology should “make sense to the player.”
“It can not only be an approach from the developer [finds] it’s ‘interesting’, or it’s a way for them as a ‘development unit’ to make more money, he said. “In the end, it should be good for the player. But I see an opportunity.”
While Fils-Aimé can see an opportunity in selling his Crossing animals island via blockchain, players’ ability to sell digital items to other players in video games has existed long before blockchain or NFTs. Even if there was not environmental problems with blockchain technology or if it was not often associated with fraud, carpet pullsand other questionable situations, the simple reality is: NFTs and blockchains do not have to be included in video games for companies to allow players to sell or buy digital goods in the game. It’s also highly unlikely that Nintendo, Fils-Aimé’s former employer, would ever allow blockchain technology to be in any game released on Switch or future Nintendo consoles.
Sorry, Regginator. But hey, he could always just sell a worthless NFT of him Crossing animals island if he really wants to make money on his time spent playing a video game using one terrible technology that is hated by most players.