The internet may have bullied NFTs out of mainstream games but in the next decade, the most prominent and profitable games will all be built around blockchain technology and there is nothing that can be done about it.

Let me explain.

Gamers are some of the most reactionary people on the internet and there is only one thing they despise above all else…change.

The most recent target of angry gamers has been the steady encroachment of blockchain technology into the realm of video games.

Gamers brought out their guillotines when Discord was considering integrating blockchain tech. Facing an onslaught of public backlash, the platform capitulated to its base.

Undeterred by public opinion, Ubisoft managed to actually release Ghost Recon Breakpoint with an integration of gun skin NFTs. After the game failed to meet financial expectations, CEO Yves Guillemot clarified that Ubisoft is “still in research mode, I would say, when it comes to NFTs.”

Square Enix enraged its base when it publicly committed to experimenting with NFTs via ‘Symbiogenesis’ -A digital collectible art experience for Web3 fans. Time will tell how this plays out for Square Enix but one thing is certain, the gaming industry is interested in exploring blockchain technology.

From my childhood, I witnessed video games grow from the humble Atari 2600 into a muti-billion dollar commercial juggernaut that dwarfed the film and music industries. The only constant during this time has been change and I believe game studios are coming to the realization that Web 3 is the next frontier for the gaming industry.

Seeing the digital pitchforks over the integration of blockchain technology in video games is very reminiscent of the ire gamers had for free to play games and the microtransaction monetization model only a decade ago.

I recall my friends and I would rage about how Heroes of Newerth was naturally the superior game to League of Legends because HoN unlocked everything in the game for a flat rate whereas LoL relied on greedy microtransactions to keep the lights on. Last I recall, Riot Games is selling out stadiums for their eSports tournaments and HoN recently shut down its servers.

Despite the backlash against microtransations, free to play games like League of Legends and Epic Games Fortnite defined the last decade of gaming.

Blockchain enabled games will define the next decade and there is nothing that can stop the winds of change.