Ubisoft introduces NFT microtransactions at Ghost Recon – wave of protests is huge
Ubisoft is the first major publisher in the West to rely on the controversial, new technology “NFT”. They introduce it as a microtransaction in their shooter “Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint”. The NFT are supposed to be collectibles with an engraved serial number that can also be sold.
That’s Ubisoft’s plan:
- “Quartz” is said to be Ubisoft’s own platform for NFT, through which Ubisoft intends to smuggle “unique items” into their AAA games. The “NFT technology” is used to transform the items into limited, digital objects that are “certified real” and thus have a certain collective value.
- The first game that relies on this technology is “Ghost Recon Breakpoint”: A shooter that flopped pretty badly for the 2019 release, but which Ubisoft has been working on since then
- In the game, the NFTs should function as “digits” – these are digital objects. The special gag: The items are not tied to the player’s inventory, but can be traded.
Ghost Recon Breakpoint: Ubisoft’s biggest flop in 2019 is now a really good shooter
How do the new NFT items work in the game? In a trailer, Ubisoft presents the idea of how “digits” work in Ghost Recon Breakpoint exactly.
In principle, they are the further development of “normal” cosmetic items that you can get in the cash shop. Ubisoft emphasizes that the items will not affect the gameplay.
The special thing about the NFT items is that they come with an engraved serial number that can be seen from the outside. In addition, the items should be sellable and the items should have a digital history that shows who once owned them.
Ubisoft says, “This is just the beginning”.
When do the items arrive exactly? There are initially three items planned for Ghost Recon Breakpoint, which should come on December 9th, 12th and 15th. You have to play Ghost Recon Breakpoint via Ubisoft Connect on Windows, have reached level 5 and be at least 18 years old.
The offer is currently only valid for the USA, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, Australia, Brazil and actually also for Germany. This is not possible in the UK.
Ubisoft Says Their Tech Is “Energy Efficient”
This is what Ubisoft says about the criticism that is sure to come: The main argument against NFT is often the extremely high pollution of the environment, because NFTs are considered to be huge energy guzzlers and thus environmental polluters.
Ubisoft anticipated the criticism and stated that the technology used is “energy efficient”. Because you use a technology that is less energy-hungry than Bitcoin or Ethereum. You bet on “Tezos”.
“A transaction in your network consumes the same energy as streaming a video for 30 seconds, while the earlier generation of blockchain networks could use the energy you need to stream for a year without a break,” says the chief technology officer Blockchain at Ubisoft.
What does Ubisoft say that’s so great about it? Ubisoft lapses a bit in advertising talk on the subject:
“Digits are high-quality in-game collectibles with an active utility value. As playable cosmetic items, digits give players the opportunity to personalize their experience and complete missions in style. “
Ubisoft
“The day Ubisoft decided to go completely mad”
What’s the reaction The US video for the campaign has 782 likes and over 105,000 views. YouTube no longer made the “Dislike” option visible.
But one user says: he can still see the “thumbs down” via a plug-in and there are already over 13,000 dislikes.
In any case, the comments are negative:
- “That’s the day Ubisoft decided to get completely mad.”
- “I don’t even have to see the dislikes anymore, I can feel them.”
- “Imagine that Ubisoft really cares about making games that people will like instead of just trying to print infinitely.”
- “For me that’s just a signal that they’re trying to milk every penny from the Ghost Recon brand while investing minimal effort in the games themselves.”
“One step too much”
Sections of the US press are allergic to the subject of “Nft”. The Kotaku site wrote: “Ubisoft is the first major publisher to pollute its games with NFTs.”
PC Gamer sounds a little more forgiving. They just write: “Ubisoft is starting to sell NFTs in the shape of helmets with tiny numbers.”
There is a first thread on reddit with the title “Doesn’t support Quartz, the new NFT Ubisoft marketplace”. The thread already has over 11,100 upvotes and is a fiery plea that the technology is “customer-hostile”. One fears that soon all good cosmetics will only be NFT – only those who can afford it can have the cool things.
The technology would lead to more and more resources flowing into cosmetics and no longer into the quality of games. The gaming industry would have worked with loot boxes and microtransactions for years. NFTs are a step too far.
We have dealt extensively with the topic of NFT on MeinMMO:
NFT is the new trend in gaming in 2021, companies are worth billions of dollars – but why?
Reference-mein-mmo.de