Valve Removes Blockchain Games, Tells Users Not To Post Crypto Or NFT Content

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Video game company Valve has informed users that no content related to cryptocurrencies or non-fungible tokens will be allowed in its Steam marketplace.

As reported by game developer SpacePirate on October 14, Steam has updated its guidelines regarding what content creators are allowed to post on the platform. According to Steam, no application based on blockchain technology that issues or authorizes the exchange of cryptocurrencies or NFTs is allowed in its onboarding process for partners. The rule appears alongside guidelines banning hate speech, sexually explicit images, and slanderous or defamatory statements.

While the new directive would apparently ban all mainstream games from including content on cryptocurrencies or NFTs, it would also have prevented blockchain game developers from posting to the platform. SpacePirate has said its Age of Rust game is being phased out, with more likely to follow.

Steam’s take is that items have value and they don’t allow items that may have real value on their platform, the developer said. While I respect their choice, I fundamentally believe that NFTs and blockchain games are the future.

Related: The Metaverse, Gambling to Win, and Gaming’s New Business Model

The move could be financially disadvantageous for Valve, as blockchain-based games gain popularity. According to a recent report from DappRadar, unique active wallets connected to decentralized gaming applications reached a total of 754,000 for the third quarter of 2021. Many blockchain games offer players the opportunity to earn real world token rewards and ‘trading in-game NFTs, providing a possible path to further crypto adoption.

However, Valve Corporation has already targeted crypto and blockchain in its Steam marketplace. In 2018, the company removed a game that allegedly hijacked users’ computers to mine for crypto. Valve originally announced that it would accept Bitcoin (BTC) payments in 2016, but then stopped the practice, citing high fees and volatility.

Cointelegraph has contacted Valve, but has not received a response at time of publication.

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