S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 NFT Integration Canceled After Fan Backlash

GSC Gameworld, developers of the highly awaited STALKER 2, have revised their stance on integrating NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) within the game after considerable fan backlash. While a number of companies have already aspired to integrate NFTs into their games (notably Ubisoft with its Quartz platform), it seems that mainstream perception of NFTs is still sorely lacking. Considering the fan backlash, NFTs are currently considered speculative in nature, and seem to be interpreted as nothing more than cash grabs from games development companies, trying to ride the hype of the million-dollar sales that have happened in the NFT space since its inception.

GSC Gameworld shared their thoughts on the matter and rationale behind canceling the NFT integration: “Based on the feedback we received, we’ve made a decision to cancel anything NFT-related in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2,” the company said via Twitter. “The interests of our fans and players are the top priority for the team. We’re making this game for you to enjoy – whatever the cost is. If you care, we care too.”

The caveat here is that NFT integration means nothing specifically to a games’ quality, or the quality of its systems. And of course, any gamer who wants nothing to do with the rampantly speculative NFT market can simply… Not care about the NFTs that are being integrated. With the information GSC Gameworld shared, there was no thread to pull on any actual disadvantages for the game in terms of its handling of NFT integration. NFTs might have a (deservedly) bad rep when it comes to the usage that’s actually expected of them at the time, and no-one can of course know how much money (if any) would GSC Gameworld make from its planned – and apparently shelved – NFT product platform. The fact remains that anyone not willing to enter the NFT world yet would not be forced, in any way, to spend any sort of money or to interact with NFTs themselves.

Sadly, the announcement didn’t cover exactly what would happen to the company’s plans to integrate an NFT winner into the game as an NPC character. And perhaps GSC Gameworld is now losing the opportunity to make as much money (or more) from NFTs as it would actually make from game sales themselves – considering how there were NFTs with pictures of rocks being sold for half a million dollars, that doesn’t sound like such a distant possibility.