"Play-to-Earn is Boring," Says SEGA COO as Company Pulls Back on Web3 Gaming
Once regarded as a staunch supporter of blockchain tech, SEGA is now more cautious about Web3, though it will continue to invest in this field as the nascent tech matures.
SEGA to scale back on blockchain gaming as crypto winter persists
Renowned Japanese gaming firm SEGA plans to pull back from Web3 gaming in a move believed to be driven by the current state of NFTs.
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, the firm behind "Sonic The Hedgehog" said it would restrict its biggest franchises from third-party blockchain gaming projects to avoid devaluing its content. Co-Chief Operating Officer Shuji Utsumi has stated that they are ditching plans to develop their own Web3 titles, adding that play-to-earn is "boring" and that the blockchain business still has a long way to go.
"The action in play-to-earn games is boring," said Utsumi. "What's the point if games are no fun?" Utsumi was also non-committal about employing Web3 tech in its "Super Game" project, which consists of a lineup of AAA blockchain titles set to launch in 2026. "We're looking into whether this technology is really going to take off in this industry, after all," he said.
Once regarded as a staunch supporter of blockchain tech, these words signal a notable shift in the company's Web3 perspective. While it has previously teamed up with Web3 infrastructure providers such as the Oasys blockchain and announced plans to take "Sangokushi Taisen" into Web3, SEGA is now treading more cautiously in the blockchain gaming space.
The video game developer, however, will still offer its lesser franchises to several blockchain games to be announced later this year and will continue to invest in related projects worth hundreds of millions of yen each. The company still feels that the technology remains relevant since it allows characters and items to be moved between games. In the long run, SEGA is open to expanding its involvement as the nascent tech matures.
