Sega Cools Its Interest in Blockchain Gaming

Sega is reportedly cooling its interest in blockchain gaming. While it’s not dismissing the technology entirely, Bloomberg reports that Sega has shelved plans to develop its own blockchain games for the time being.

According to Sega co-chief operating officer Shuji Utsumi, “The action in play-to-earn games is boring. What’s the point if games are no fun?”

The company behind Sonic The Hedgehog is allowing third-party partners to create NFT games using some of its franchises, including Three Kingdoms and Virtua Fighter. However, it currently won’t allow its biggest characters to be associated with blockchain titles to avoid potentially devaluing its intellectual property.

Utsumi stated, “We’re looking into whether this technology is really going to take off in this industry, after all.”

Despite cooling its interest in blockchain gaming, Sega will continue to invest in the area while there remains a chance it could become more mainstream in the future. Utsumi added, “For the majority of people in the video game industry, what blockchain advocates say may sound a bit extreme, but that’s how the first penguin has always been. We should never underestimate them.”

Furthermore, Utsumi stated that Sega is not interested in acquisition talks after news emerged that it has been a target for Microsoft in recent years.