Valve gets rid of all blockchain, crypto, and NFT games on the Steam platform

In a move that raises questions about the future of NFTs in video games, Valve announced a policy change for games on Steam built around blockchain technology. Per the new guidelines, games will not be allowed on the platform if they are built around blockchain tech and issue or allow users to exchange cryptocurrency or NFTs.

According to @SpacePirate_io, developer of Age of Rust, a game that assigns NFTs to in-game items, Valve’s decision is likely due to the fact that in-game items tied to NFTs would have real-world value.

While there aren’t a lot of games on Steam with an NFT or crypto-based mechanic, the idea of the player ownership of in-game assets via NFT allocation has been picking up pace with titles like Age of Rust and others. 

While Valve’s response has been to completely ban titles with an NFT mechanic, competitor Epic stated that it was “open” to the idea of games that use NFTs, though what this means in terms of rules and restrictions isn’t yet clear.