by Lydia Ludmila 
Last year, Minecraft intended to ban NFTs and it caused an uproar in the Web3 space. Up until this point, the ban is yet to be enforced. However, it is still looming. Here’s everything you need to know.
- Minecraft’s planned ban on NFTs created a stir in the Web3 community. However, the enforcement of the ban is still pending and looming on the horizon.
- Mojang, owned by Microsoft, intends to update the game’s guidelines to restrict NFT integration, but the guidelines have not been updated so far.
- The ban impacts Web3 projects built around Minecraft servers, with projects like NFT Worlds having to adapt and rebrand. Despite the delay, Minecraft remains committed to its stance against NFT integration.
Minecraft NFT Ban Looms on The Horizon
Last summer, the Swedish games studio owned by Microsoft, Mojang, made it known that they intended to update the game’s usage guidelines. The update will lay out specific restrictions for integrating NFTs. Mojang firmly stated its stance against allowing NFT integrations with the game. However, until now, Minecraft has not updated its guidelines. A Microsoft team member recently reassured the community that the official guidelines update is still in the works, emphasizing that the policy remains unchanged.
The initial plans to ban NFT usage in Minecraft came from the rise of unofficial Web3 projects driven by the game’s popularity. Mojang targeted NFT assets that gate and limit access to specific content or features on player-operated servers. While players have permission to charge for server access, these features must remain accessible to everyone. On the contrary, NFTs introduce the possibility of exclusive features limited to a select group of asset owners.
How Will The Ban Affect Web3 Projects?
Mojang explained that NFTs and other blockchain technologies contradict its core ethos. Its core ethics promotes creative inclusion and communal play. In addition, the announcement further criticized the speculative pricing and investment-focused nature regarding NFTs, as they divert attention from the game’s core experience and encourage profit-driven interests.
Additionally, Minecraft announced its intent to stop the creation of third-party NFT assets based on official game assets. This decision directly impacted third-party Web3 projects that had built their foundations around Minecraft servers.
An example project is NFT Worlds. NFT Worlds offered customizable land plots as NFTs and had plans to launch a dedicated Minecraft server using these tokens. However, the creators of NFT Worlds swiftly adapted their approach and rebranded the project as Topia, an original game inspired by Minecraft but developed from scratch.
Although Minecraft has not implemented the ban on NFTs yet, Mojang’s commitment to updating the guidelines demonstrates their ongoing stance against integrating NFTs. Players and the Web3 community eagerly await further developments on this matter to see how it will ultimately unfold.
