EA Begins Distancing Itself from NFTs

The creator of the most popular game series in the world, “Star Wars Battlefront” and other games like it have recently announced that they will no longer allow for users to give their collectibles away as gifts. This controversial decision has sparked a debate surrounding what type of games are allowed to exist on blockchain platforms.

Electronic Arts has begun distancing itself from the “selling nft” or “NFTs”. EA’s decision to do so is due to the fact that they are not sure how this market will be regulated.

Image: EA

Andrew Wilson, the CEO of Electronic Arts, was previously positive on NFTs, calling them “an vital component of the future of [the] business on a go-forward basis,” but his stance on the burgeoning blockchain technology seems to have shifted.

Wilson was asked about his company’s position on NFTs during an investor call yesterday, and he responded with trepidation, saying that EA wasn’t “pushing hard on” NFTs at the time. He also compared them to 3D and AR/VR, which were previously touted by venture capitalists and other investors but dismissed by some gamers as transitory fads.

Wilson (Seeking Alpha) on NFTs:

Collectability, in my opinion, is basically founded on four important parameters. It revolves on high-quality material, scarcity, proof-of-authenticity, and a community of individuals that appreciate that content.

And we’ve seen it happen both in the real world and in the virtual world. For a number of years, we’ve seen this happen in and around our games. And I think that collectability will remain an essential aspect of our business, as well as the games and experiences we provide to our users.

Is it covered by the NFT and the blockchain? That will have to wait and see. And I believe that’s how we approach it: we want to provide the greatest possible player experience. As a result, we’ll — we’ll assess it over time. But it’s not something that we’re promoting right now.

EA’s CEO Went From Calling NFTs the “Future” to Avoiding Them (Kotaku):

While EA was never as enthusiastic about NFTs as rivals Square Enix and Ubisoft were, the firm was optimistic on them in November.
During a second quarter investor call last year, Wilson remarked, “Anything that pulls more people in and engages those individuals for more time in a setting with the extent that I believe it’s a positive thing over time.”
“I believe that is the bedrock of our live services.” I believe that the play-to-earn or NFT debate is still in its infancy. And there’s a lot of talk about it, as well as a lot of excitement. I believe it will play a significant role in the long-term destiny of our industry.”

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