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Comment by saberience | Hacker News Reader

NFT technology doesn't add anything for games that isn't already available using guess what, a database! Using a MySQL or whatever database allows single use only items, one-off items that only player can have, multi-use items, any possible combination of items is possible using simple SQL. It's not rocket science, the only difference (which doesn't really add any utility to games) is the idea of this database being public.

Think about it, you could implement items in a game using NFT tech OR a database: would the players notice anything functionally different in the game? If not: why the big deal about NFTs in gaming?

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> https://mmos.com/news/ubisoft-deleted-account-with-hundreds-...

"Trust us, your items are safe with us!"

> the only difference (which doesn't really add any utility to games) is the idea of this database being public.

On the contrary, this does add utility. By the database being public I: A) Have reasonable guarantees of ownership of my items B) Can use my high value items across multiple experiences

Because of ownership and the idea of digital property. In a MySQL the provider owns all data, with an NFT the key holder owns the data.

Well no they don't because the NFT only has meaning in the game world which is still owned and operated by the game company. NFTs in their current incarnation merely move the receipt from a centralized private DB to a decentralized public one and make the entire thing much more expensive.

But the NFT should be independent of the game and exists elsewhere. The game company can integrate it - or not.

So someone’s selling in-game items for games with no game with the expectation that games will just magically support them despite the cost to the developers to do so?

FWIW I can definitely see an asset store like model if that’s what you mean. Where games that share an engine can share developed assets. But you need to look at how that works out in practice in terms of how much integration cost there is, gamers tolerance for asset reuse and actually how broadly applicable it is between different games. And even then extant asset stores already work perfectly well so it’s not clear what putting it on the blockchain and presumably some decentralised storage actually provides.

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