Mojang was in the news yesterday when it stated in unambiguous terms that NFTs are not a good fit in Minecraft (opens in new tab). This is a good thing for gamers but not for those who have already committed to using blockchain technology in games-like NFT Worlds.
"NFT Worlds, a decentralized, completely customizable and community driven, play-to-ear gaming platform where world owners can create unlimited metaverse experiences or games for players, or exclusive communities within the worlds that they own," its website (opens new tab).
"Currently using Minecraft and it's sprawling open-source ecosystem, NFT Worlds builds on the foundation of decades worth of open-source development within the Minecraft community. It radically extends it to allow an entirely new types of 3D voxel-based, decentralized gaming metaverses backed by the Ethereum blockchain."
What that means, basically is that it allows custom Minecraft servers that allow players to buy virtual land and earn (and spend) cryptocurrency-the kind of hybrid system that Mojang's policy on blockchain seems specifically aimed at shutting down. It certainly had an impact: The price for $WRLD (opens new tab) plummeted immediately after the studio's announcement.
In response to Mojang's latest policy, NFT Worlds has issued a statement (opens in new tab) decrying Mojang and Minecraft as having "no regard for builders, creators, and players," and vowing to develop its own game to take over the game.
Frehtml5.co
"We're creating a new game and platform based on the basic mechanics of Minecraft but thanks to modernization and continuous development Minecraft has been missing for many years," NFT Worlds said. "This is not a rewrite of an open source Minecraft replica, which could infringe the EULA or even risk legal action, this is entirely made from scratch. The public will also be able to observe a brand image change that is more welcoming to players as part of this change.
The Future Of NFT Worlds Read our statement below through the attached Twitter thread, or here: https://t.co/w0nf1f2xxnA thread pic.twitter.com/Oy2T7oXQVgJuly 22, 2022
The new game will have a "playstyle appearance, look, and feel" similar to Minecraft, NFT Worlds said, but will feature performance optimizations, graphical improvements, and new mechanics that will offer "a more affordable, accessible and enjoyable experience." It is free for all players and "completely free of the policies that Microsoft and Mojang have over Minecraft." However it will be compatible with older Minecraft server plugins, which means that when it is time to switch platforms creators of content will be able to make the move with minimal fuss and muss.
Making a better Minecraft than Minecraft (while keeping it compatible with Minecraft) is an awfully huge undertaking and one that would invite some immediate and severe examination from Microsoft however, NFT Worlds doesn't have many options. Mojang has effectively shut down its business model. However, a complete switch from a new game could mean that existing players and the work they've done to date would be left behind. The only way to keep the wheels spinning is to come up with something that is functionally Minecraft without actually being Minecraft. This is a huge task.
In the near future, NFT Worlds said it will make changes to its launcher and play pages in order to attract new players who don't want to be tied to the cryptocurrency angle. It also outlined some very crucial, high-risk stakes for NFT Worlds future as a fight for both the technological and philosophical soul of the internet.
"Microsoft has made it clear they will always act in the best interests of their shareholders and balance sheet but at the expense of innovation, player experience and creators," NFT Worlds said. "We believe an open, free, and evolving version of Minecraft that Minecraft brought to the world will be a better future for creators, developers and ultimately gamers.
"We're fighting for a better future with a player owned and operated economy where all participants benefit from their contributions to the ecosystem. We are aware that this is a massive task."
I have reached out to Microsoft to ask their opinion on the NFT Worlds plan. I will make changes to this post if I receive a response.