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IGDA asks devs to reconsider use of NFTs and blockchain tech

IGDA asks devs to reconsider use of NFTs and blockchain tech

The International Game Developer Association (IGDA) has asks developers to reconsider their use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

In a release on its website, the organisation said that companies should stop using NFTs in "singular ecosystems" and to employ proof of stake blockchains rather than the currently more common proof of work. Proof of stake uses far less energy than proof of work.

IGDA also says that NFTs shouldn't be used when databases can handle all of the information required, given that this doesn't require as much in the way of energy consumption.

All of this is due to the huge amount of power these technologies need and the ensuing environmental impact.

The organisation also says that developers should stop the practice of background mining on user machines without them being aware. This is pretty self-explanatory we feel and if you're doing this it's a bit of a dick move, not least due to the massive and increasing energy requirements of mining.

"Though the game industry pushes on the cutting edge of technology and rapidly incorporates advancements in our projects, we should not be treating energy inefficient methods as solutions looking for a problem," the IGDA wrote.

"As a cutting edge industry, it is not only our responsibility to push forward technology innovation, but also to maintain an ethical approach that considers the impact of our work upon the greater world."

To the surprise of no one, everyone's favourite video games zombie Atari jumped head-first into the NFT space in March of this year with tokens that claimed to pay tribute to the classic IP the company currently occupying the dead skin of actual innovators owns decades down the line.


PCGamesInsider Contributing Editor

Alex Calvin is a freelance journalist who writes about the business of games. He started out at UK trade paper MCV in 2013 and left as deputy editor over three years later. In June 2017, he joined Steel Media as the editor for new site PCGamesInsider.biz. In October 2019 he left this full-time position at the company but still contributes to the site on a daily basis. He has also written for GamesIndustry.biz, VGC, Games London, The Observer/Guardian and Esquire UK.