22/07/2022 Square Enix make Final Fantasy 7 NFTs a real thing

Jessie smiles as she points her finger in Final Fantasy VII Remake
These don’t seem like something Avalanche would approve of

Square Enix are threatening to overshadow the 25th anniversary ofFinal Fantasy 7by partnering with Enjin, a cryptocurrency platform, to launch non-fungible tokens (NFTs) based on the long-running JRPG series. To coincide with the anniversary, Squeenix will be releasing a digital collection of cards on Enjin’s Efinity network for owners of physical cards that are expected to go on sale in 2023. There's an NFT linked to a Cloud Strife action figure too. Feel free to watch the trailer forFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthbelow to take your mind off this woeful event.

When Square said there was going to be a Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, I didn't think NFTs were what they meant.

If you were so inclined, you could plonk down $160 (ÂŁ134) for theCloud Strife action figure, which comes with an NFT to gawp at on your smartphone or computer. That's the 'Digital Plus Edition' of the statue, but it's $30 (ÂŁ25) cheaper if you just buy the standard figure with no NFT attached. Not a good look, Square Enix.

NFT sales plunge 15% to $64.9m, Solana sales jump 44%
Make crypto games great again? ‘Trump Billionaires Club’ launches this month
Au Nigeria, artistes et entrepreneurs prennent le virage du crypto-art

It gets worse, as Square Enix have even drawn attention to the possibility of not being able to use the NFTs if Enjin's service was to ever end. Under a section titled 'Caution before Purchasing' on the listing for the Cloud statue, Squeenix say "Warning: In case the Enjin services becomes unavailable in the future, you may lose access to the NFT digital certificate of authenticity and digital version of the figure".

"This partnership marks a coming-of-age phase for digital assets and entertainment; Square Enix, an esteemed developer with iconic intellectual property, is paving the way for the industry," Enjin executive Witek Radomski said. Enjin say they offer “environmentally-friendly solutions for building decentralised gaming products", and have committed themselves to making their NFTscarbon-neutralby 2030. Maybe just don’t use the technology in the first place?

One tweet summed the whole NFTs situation up quite nicely:

Squeenix’s presidentgreetedthe start of the year by setting a course towards a future of blockchain for the company. Yosuke Matsuda didn’t seem to know how that would work at the time, however, saying the company would “keep a close eye on societal shifts in this space while listening to the many groups of users that populate it, and ramp up our efforts to develop a business accordingly, with an eye to potentially issuing our own tokens in the future".

It’s not just Squeenix jumping on the blockchain bandwagon in shambolic fashion though.Konami,EAandTake Twohave all expressed their interest at entering crypto. Companies usually cite it as the future of gaming, in some appropriately intangible way.

Square Enix and others may have committed to NFTs and the blockchain, but some games companies are more wary of the controversial technologies. Only yesterday, Minecraft devs Mojang Studiosissued a statementsaying they wouldn’t allow either NFTs or blockchain to “create models of scarcity and exclusion that conflict with our Guidelines and the spirit of Minecraft”. Mojang did clarify that they’d keep an eye on how blockchain evolves to see if it could offer security or practical ways to improve the game in the future, though.

The next instalment of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake saga,Rebirth, was announced on a 25th anniversary stream last month. It’s due to release in winter 2023 on PlayStation, but could be some way off on PC given thefirst parttook a year and a half to arrive.

Arts

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/square-enix-make-final-fantasy-7-nfts-a-real-thing

Interesting NFTs
David vs the Virus
"An ode to the year everything changed" - Frank Wilder The story of the underdog is a reoccurring theme throughout history, and perhaps the most famous example is that of David vs Goliath. A tale about perseverance, in which David takes on and defeats the giant warrior using only his smarts and a stone. Famously depicted by Michelangelo's David statue. Fast forward to the present day in 2020 and we as humanity are faced with our own Goliath. An uncontrollable pandemic spread around the globe. Now with the entire planet being affected by this we understand the gravity of the situation at hand, whether it be a virus we’re fighting or other forces at play, there is indeed an energy out to shift the balance of the Universe… Regardless of our differences, in this moment must unite as one. With diligence, trust and belief we as a whole can come together to triumph against "the enemy". Stay vigilant my friends. Original score created by the one and only Phoenix Wilder.
CryptoKitties
Yo! I'm Kitty #407523. I'm often referred to as the Cersei Lannister of the group. Sometimes I daydream of a life full of taking selfies, lasagna, and talking about how much I lift. I hope we can be pawmates.
#61028
By OthersideDeployer
The King
Part of a series of three artworks entitled "The Rulers". Inspired by the rulers of the animal kingdom, african mandalas & diamonds. A very complex digital illustration, each lion consists of hundreds of custom diamond shapes. Each background is an intricate custom mandala that compliments the lions facial features.
Playtime At Le Mans
Playtime At Le Mans | From [The Room] series A creation which focuses on minimalism and the beautiful characteristics of the famous Le Mans Porsche 917K. Do you prefer the relaxed day cycle of the Gulf Blue... or the more engaging and exciting Gulf Orange. What mood are you in? Will you win over your imagination. The cycle of time lives on...