A hot potato: Valve reportedly plans to remove all games from Steam that use blockchain to exchange cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NTF). Using NFTs in games has become a controversial issue since some have been accused of being scams.
Valve notified developer SpacePirate Games that it is removing the studio’s NTF game Age of Rust from Steam along with all other blockchain games. Valve said that it does not allow games involving the sale and transfer of items with a real-world value on Steam. The developer shared a photo where Valve lists things it discourages developers from publishing on Steam, with blockchain games using crypto and NFTs at the bottom of the list.
Community: A few minutes ago, we were notified that @Steam will be kicking *all blockchain games* off the platform, including Age of Rust, because NFTs have value. Behind the scenes, we’ve had good communication and have been upfront with Steam. #blockchaingames #NFT
1/4 pic.twitter.com/W4pR3Xl63q— Age of Rust (@SpacePirate_io) October 14, 2021
Age of Rust is a single-player sci-fi action and puzzle game that was due out sometime this year. It incorporates NFTs as in-game tradeable items. The developer’s Steam description says Age of Rust uses Enjin platform NFTs, some of which players can earn as achievements for completing certain puzzles. It also uses NFTs from other games like Epochrome, Forgehammer, Stormwall, Shadowsong, Oindrasdain, and APG-M55. SpacePirate Games says it will continue working on games and NFTs outside of Steam.
Earlier this month, the creator of the Evolved Apes set of NFTs disappeared along with a website, a Twitter account, and millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. Customers who bought the NFTs could use them in a fighting game and earn Ethereum crypto. Evil Ape had sold thousands of NFTs before he vanished with investors’ money that was supposed to be used to develop and market the project. So Valve’s hesitancy of NFT games is not unfounded.