Rockstar Games and its parent company Take-Two Interactive, makers of hugely successful games such as Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead and Max Payne is the latest gaming company to ban NFTs.
The ban relates to GTA online third-party roleplay servers, which are independent of Rockstar and extend gameplay. This is despite their claim to encourage “fan creativity and wants creators to showcase their passion for our games”. They follow other gaming companies such as Mojang, makers of Minecraft and the gaming platform Steam in banning crypto and NFTs.
Why have Rockstar games banned NFTs?
The ban it seems comes after Rockstar announced an update to its RP server rules for GTA online. The update was in response to rapper Lil Durk and his loot box drop on his third-party server, Trenches GTA.
It has been an open secret that third-party servers have been using crypto and NFTs, whilst GTA turned a blind eye to the activities. However, GTA has finally come out with a definitive statement that shows their distaste for NFTs.
The GTA statement states that third-party servers are an important part of the Grand Theft Auto community that they hope “will continue to thrive in a safe and friendly way for many years to come.”
The new rules include one specifically related to crypto and NFTs,
(iii) commercial exploitation, including the sale of “loot boxes” for real-world currency or its in-game equivalent, the sale of virtual currencies, generating revenue via corporate sponsorships or in-game integrations, or the use of cryptocurrencies or crypto assets (e.g. “NFTs”).
Afterthoughts
Again, in this latest news, we see a centralized company, Rockstar and Take Two, throwing its weight behind a ban on NFTs.
Is this just corporate greed in play? Is GTA online worried about losing market share because of resistance from many players in the community? What are your thoughts on this latest development from Rockstar and GTA online? Leave a comment below.
