In an open letter to Steam creator Valve, 29 blockchain gaming companies asked to reverse a decision to remove blockchain-based video games from the platform, which Valve made last month.
Enjin, Fight for the Future, The Blockchain Game Alliance, and another 26 blockchain game companies asked to remove the ban on NFTs and other Web3 technologies. They wrote:
Games that utilize blockchain technology and web3 token-based technologies like DAOs and NFTs can positively enhance the user experience of games, and create new economic opportunities for users and creators. Valve, Web3 games are a fast-moving and exciting category of games that have a place within the Steam ecosystem. Please consider changing your stance on this issue and permit tokens and, more broadly, the use of blockchain tech on the Steam platform.
Steam is the biggest PC game distribution platform with an average of 20.5 million users a day, which was brought to market as a standalone client in 2003. A ban means a big loss for market blockchain games.
Last month, the platform banned these games with the motive that items with real-world value could not be present on it because they might create regulatory issues for the company. The move had its fair share of critics. Chris Gonsalves, CEO of blockchain-based eSports tournament platform Community Gaming, said:
While there are still questions concerning regulations and consumer protections for trading NFTs, it’s a shame Steam isn’t willing to take a progressive stance and become a leader in the space that could help legitimize quality projects. This will further pave the way for competitors like the Epic Games Store, or emerging distribution platforms, to disrupt Steam and build compliant features for trading digital assets.
In related news, GameStop posted a job listing that they were looking to build an Ethereum-based Web3 arm. According to the ad, published today, GameStop is looking for someone with experience with Ethereum, NFTs, and blockchain based gaming platforms. The post adds that in the future, “games are places you’ll go” and “blockchains will power the commerce beneath.”
Ethereum layer 2 integration needed
Another responsibility listed was integration with different blockchains and Ethereum layer 2 environments. One of the main purposes of Layer 2 according to experts is helping cryptocurrency systems process more payments faster. GameStop is also hiring for an in-house NFT marketplace.
