Konami, the big-name brand behind the timeless creations such as Yu-Gi-Oh, Metal Gear Solid, and Silent Hill is entering Web3. It was only a matter of time before the big gaming names got into the Metaverse and Web3. They are researching and planning to dive into the NFT world headfirst. This could revolutionize gaming as well as catapult NFTs even further.
In-Game NFTs by Konami
The video and trading card game mogul is planning on releasing NFTs in their video games that can be traded amongst players. “We have been conducting research and development to incorporate the latest technology into games and contents. We plan to launch a service where players can trade their in-game NFTs (digital items) through a unique distribution platform using blockchain.” Players from many video game series have asked about trading items amongst other players. It would appear Konami is going to do just this. That sounds like a huge response to the gaming community from Reddit and Twitter. Whether this will be successful or not is a different story. Konami has to tread carefully about going to fast too soon but they are the first large scale gaming empire to enter NFTs. So what are the drawbacks or hazards to this?
Konami NFTs
NFTs are a still budding project/commodity. Most NFTs have no real utility behind them but the few that do are household names. You may have heard of NFT Projects such as Bored Ape Yacht Club, VeeFriends or even Munchie Mafia but there are many out there in the unknown. Konami plans to have these NFTs in game and tradeable across the blockchain. It would be quite an accomplishment to mash NFTs powered by blockchain technology into the games we all know and love. Perhaps this will be the evolution of trading cards as well.
Revolutionizing Gaming and NFTs
Some NFT projects already sell their NFTs as “mystery packs”, where consumers buy a pack and hope they “pull” a rare or 1 of 1. This is very similar to the concept of going to the store and buying a pack of trading cards. If trading cards went to NFTs, it would give easier access to purchasing and re-selling them. Could this be a breakthrough for NFTs and the gaming industry? Some say yes, others are still speculative. Many gamers already buy loot boxes or packs for in-game items so why not add NFTs that also offer tangible benefits too? “NFTs can be used in-game as items, as well as participate in fan communities and events, and interact with other services and communities to further expand the user experience.” Imagine getting an NFT for an in-game cosmetic or item and getting an invite to a gaming event? That sounds like an incredible marketing tactic.
A Glimpse to the Future
Adding NFTs to video games is not as far-fetched as people might think. Apex has Apex Packs, Destiny has Bright Dust Boxes, and Call of Duty has their loot boxes. By simply upgrading these loot boxes or packs to NFTs, most gamers would not even notice. The addition though to trade them will cause a huge frenzy. Did Konami just open Pandora’s box with NFTs in video games? Or did they summon a whole new frontier? Only time will tell.
