Game developers have been having a hard time of it lately. From the debacle of Rockstar Games' glitch-riddled GTA 'remasters' to Cyberpunk 2077's infamously botched launch, it seems some companies are doing all they can to alienate gamers. And now Konami has joined the party with an ill-received NFT announced.
The company has launched a worldwide auction for screenshots (that's right, screenshots) from the Castlevania series, designed to celebrate its 35th anniversary. But thanks to the seemingly slapdash nature of the offering, and the gaming community's suspicion of NFTs in general, the whole thing is going down like a lead balloon. Confused? Check out our handy explanation of NFTs.
Some of the 'goods' on offer (Image credit: Konami)
“In commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the Castlevania series, NFTs featuring game scenes, BGM, and newly drawn art from the Castlevania series has been issued,” Konami says. Only one copy of each NFT will be available to purchase (unless you've ever heard of Ctrl+C), and you can see a preview of the collection on NFT auction site OpenSea.
So why are NFTs unpopular among gamers? On one hand, there's the environmental impact – a huge amount of energy is required to maintain the blockchain that records sales. But there's also the question of value and the potential for abuse, with creators free to suggest a digital file is in some way valuable and rare.
But despite the backlash, game developers have ploughed ahead with their NFT crusade. And it isn't going well for Konami, with gamers furious that the neglected game series is being 'resurrected' for NFT-based profit. "If there's one thing Konami excels at, it's desecrating beloved franchises and spitting on their fans," one user tweets.
Konami's priorities am I right? pic.twitter.com/5Z2WQzjrraJanuary 6, 2022
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NFTs seem to be offering something of a contradiction right now – while they're wildly unpopular among certain circles, they're clearly on the ascent. Like 'metaverse', we have a feeling the word (is it a word?) NFT isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Inspired to create your own? Check out our guide on how to make and sell an NFT.
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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
