Essentially digital receipts backed by blockchain technology, NFTs—or non-fungible tokens—are viewed by some artists and investors as innovative technological advancements, while many opponents take issue with their potential environmental impacts and their use outside of crypto-centric spaces. Publishers such as Ubisoft and EA have either voiced support for or directly implemented NFTs into their games already, and indie publisherTeam17may be next to join in on the trend.
On January 31, Team17 announced a suite of NFTs based on the popularWormsseries. A classic turn-based strategy game known for its hectic multiplayer elements,Wormsdominated the late 90s with a slew of staple releases. With more than a dozen releases spanning two-and-a-half decades, the series continues to this day with 2020’sWorms Rumblestanding as its most current entry.
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A partnership between Team17 and Reality Gaming Group, the publisher initially announced a collection of limited edition computer-generated artworks based on theWormsproperty. An example of such is available on Metaworms.com, an apparent hub for all thingsWormsNFTs. A spinning, glitter-caked 3D model of a holy hand grenade-wielding worm named Colonel, these offerings differ drastically from the suites of AI-generated 2D images with which most NFT-savvy individuals are familiar. This could be one of many recent examples proving correctUbisoft head Yves Guillemot’s assertion that NFTs are here to stay.
The publisher was also eager to emphasize the eco-friendly steps being taken ahead of the launch of theWormsNFT line. Blockchain technology typically demandsresource-intensive computing processes and is often seen as unsustainable. TheWormsNFTs, however, are said to operate on a more energy-efficient “side chain” of the Ethereum network used by the Reality Gaming Group.
As was the casefollowing the introduction of Ubisoft’s Quartz initiative, backlash regarding Team17’s announcement was immediate and fairly fierce. The publisher subsequently clarified a few unknowns about the NFT collection’s launch, underlining the fact that it is merely licensing the property to a third-party company and making it known that it has no plans to implement NFTs or blockchain transactions into any of its games.
Team17 isn’t the only publisher taking said approach to NFTs; Japanese publisher Konami recently auctioned off a series ofNFTs based on theCastlevaniaseries, and Atari has announced plans to unite NFTs with lootbox mechanics to commemorate its 50th anniversary.
