From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action


Remember Ubisoft's NFT-focused game, "Champions Tactics: Grimoria
Chronicles"? No, of course you don't. It pretty much sank like a stone
on release; it was a shitty game and nobody was interested in its
blockchain shenanigans.* That's pretty much true of all of Ubisoft's
attempts to crowbar NFTs into their games. Anyway, there's an article
here** about how the game is still active, but has pretty much dropped
the NFT aspect --you know, the only thing that made it different from
other games-- to refocus on predatory MTX sales instead.

Yeah, I know, it's not really much in the way of news... but I've sort
of taken it upon myself to report on any NFT incursions into
video-game space, and those are --quite fortunately-- increasingly
rare these days. Anyway, it seems likely that Ubisoft's fascination
with NFTs was largely led by the son of Yves Guillemot (CEO of
Ubisoft). Nepotism meant his ridiculous ideas gained more traction at
the company than they otherwise might have. But the complete fairly of
his ideas has hopefully killed any future attempts at blockchaining
Ubisoft games.

Anyway, thus ends my latest rant about NFTs. If we're lucky, we'll
never see another one. And if not... well, I'll be ready ;-)







--- --- --- ---
* Hey, do you think have I been using this word a lot recently? It
seems to me like I have. I don't know how it re-entered my vocabulary,
but it seems to be my go-to word for nonsensical actions these days.

** clicky clicky https://boingboing.net/2025/09/03/ubisofts-nft-game-isnt-dead-yet-but-its-sure-close.html




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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Sat, 06 Sep 2025 11:13:37 -0400, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Anyway, thus ends my latest rant about NFTs. If we're lucky, we'll
never see another one. And if not... well, I'll be ready ;-)

I actually believe we might not. Game pubs seem to have gotten the
message that it's not a license to print money, and gone back to
"predatory MTXes," as you describe them.

I mean... they already had a way to print money. Why were NFTs so
appealing as a way to do better? Ohh. Squirrel!
--
Zag

Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
and to utter freely according to conscience, above
all other liberties. ~John Milton
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Zaghadka <[email protected]> wrote at 18:12 this Saturday (GMT):

On Sat, 06 Sep 2025 11:13:37 -0400, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Anyway, thus ends my latest rant about NFTs. If we're lucky, we'll
never see another one. And if not... well, I'll be ready ;-)

I actually believe we might not. Game pubs seem to have gotten the
message that it's not a license to print money, and gone back to
"predatory MTXes," as you describe them.

I mean... they already had a way to print money. Why were NFTs so
appealing as a way to do better? Ohh. Squirrel!

Some will still absolutely try to make a fortune off it.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Mon, 15 Sep 2025 19:40:07 -0000 (UTC), in
comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, candycanearter07 wrote:

Zaghadka <[email protected]> wrote at 18:12 this Saturday (GMT):

On Sat, 06 Sep 2025 11:13:37 -0400, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Anyway, thus ends my latest rant about NFTs. If we're lucky, we'll
never see another one. And if not... well, I'll be ready ;-)

I actually believe we might not. Game pubs seem to have gotten the
message that it's not a license to print money, and gone back to
"predatory MTXes," as you describe them.

I mean... they already had a way to print money. Why were NFTs so
appealing as a way to do better? Ohh. Squirrel!

Some will still absolutely try to make a fortune off it.

The same sorts that fall for "get rich quick" schemes. Only the schemers
will see a pay day.

The only way to make money off of this is a confidence scheme. Gamers
were apparently smart enough to sniff this out, and it's a novel enough approach that some people are unaware of the casual illegality of what's
going on, though most who are trying to make a lot of money are very much
aware that they are skirting laws through novel processes.

It's one of those "There should be a law against that!" moments. There
will eventually "be a law."
--
Zag

Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
and to utter freely according to conscience, above
all other liberties. ~John Milton
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Tue, 16 Sep 2025 12:02:11 -0500, Zaghadka <[email protected]>
wrote:

On Mon, 15 Sep 2025 19:40:07 -0000 (UTC), in
comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, candycanearter07 wrote:

Zaghadka <[email protected]> wrote at 18:12 this Saturday (GMT):

On Sat, 06 Sep 2025 11:13:37 -0400, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Anyway, thus ends my latest rant about NFTs. If we're lucky, we'll >>>>never see another one. And if not... well, I'll be ready ;-)

I actually believe we might not. Game pubs seem to have gotten the
message that it's not a license to print money, and gone back to
"predatory MTXes," as you describe them.

I mean... they already had a way to print money. Why were NFTs so
appealing as a way to do better? Ohh. Squirrel!

Some will still absolutely try to make a fortune off it.

The same sorts that fall for "get rich quick" schemes. Only the schemers
will see a pay day.

The only way to make money off of this is a confidence scheme. Gamers
were apparently smart enough to sniff this out, and it's a novel enough >approach that some people are unaware of the casual illegality of what's >going on, though most who are trying to make a lot of money are very much >aware that they are skirting laws through novel processes.

I think it was less that gamers were 'smart' and more that NFT
creators were so greedy they didn't put any effort into their early productions. Things like BoredApe tainted the idea so badly that when
more serious efforts were made, anyone researching NFTs and
encountering the existing products were immediately turned off by the
idea.

(Of course, it also didn't help that the hobby was already flooded
with skeevy MTX from triple A publishers that made users wary of any
new concepts, that NFT processing costs potentially would make games
run slower, that the whole idea was riddled with fraud and rugpulls,
and that NFTs didn't really add anything new or give players any
benefit that more traditional methods of sale offered. None of these
helped make NFTs in games any more appealing).

But I think the sheer ugliness of BoredApe and related products was a
major reason for people turning away from the concept. If the wrapper
had been less terrible, people might have gone for it.

It's one of those "There should be a law against that!" moments. There
will eventually "be a law."

It's like they say; a lot of laws are written in blood. We don't
bother regulating ourselves until the actions cause somebody injury.

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