Streamer Dr Disrespect has voiced his support for the use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in gaming, despite the widespread backlash and lack of uptake from players.
Dr Disrespect took to social media to express his excitement about the concept of NFT items in video games and their potential to increase the stakes in extraction-based shooters. He went on to say that those who criticize NFTs as a scam or unnecessary are simply “brain-dead headline followers.”
Dr Disrespect’s vested interest in the success of NFTs in gaming is due to his recent founding of the development studio Midnight Society, which is currently working on a blockchain-backed shooter called Deadrop. The upcoming game will use NFTs for skins and other items, and a snapshot reveal is set to take place later this month.
While some game developers have attempted to use blockchain technology through NFT-tied item systems, such as Ubisoft’s Quartz for the shooter Ghost Recon Breakpoint, such attempts have been met with heavy criticism and a lack of uptake from players.
Ubisoft has since confirmed that its upcoming battle arena game will not feature NFTs. Critics of NFTs point to their marketplaces’ scam-riddled nature, the instability of cryptocurrency prices, and the heavy environmental footprint of blockchain systems.
