Epic Games Confirms Openness to Allow Blockchain Gaming

Epic Games latches onto Steam’s ban of blockchain games and warms up to the industry.

Epic Games Open to Innovation

Video games entertainment company, Epic Games, has affirmed that it might be receptive to hosting blockchain-based games on its platform. 

The company made its stand public after another well-known game company – Steam – updated its rules which effectively meant a ban of blockchain games. Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, revealed his company’s posture in a tweet on October 15:

“Epic Games Store will welcome games that make use of blockchain tech… Though Epic’s not using crypto in our games, we welcome innovation in the areas of technology and finance,” he stated.

A wave of despair swept through the blockchain gaming industry when Steam sneaked in an anti-blockchain requirement in its documentation. The requirement was absent from an earlier copy of the documentation but has now found its way in:

Motives for the Steam Ban

Steam may have added the new clause to be on the safe side of the law. There has been a recent regulatory awakening towards cryptocurrencies. In August, the American Congress began considering a bill that could increase the regulation of crypto and NFTs for tax purposes. 

As pointed out by Forbes in an article: “It [the bill] creates an additional reporting requirement that might not be able to be fulfilled by some of the smaller actors.”

Steam’s intention may have been to avoid regulatory headaches. Since the blockchain gaming ecosystem is going through a strong bullish trend, did Steam rush that decision? Steam’s competitors, beginning with Epic Games, have seen an opportunity in Steam’s decision to court blockchain gaming platforms. 

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Epic Moves Ahead

It is a common business strategy for a firm to adopt a position different from its competitor. On surface value, that is what it would seem Epic Games has done. But the sky is not completely clear yet as far as blockchain games going live on Epic Games is concerned. 

While Epic’s stand is something to cheer about, it is at the moment just a statement of willingness. Epic Games is also wary of regulations. The CEO has made it clear that blockchain games will need to conform to rules, state their terms explicitly, and be age-rated to be on the platform.

Nevertheless, the good thing is that blockchain games have found in Epic Games a gaming platform that will engage regulation with a friendly blockchain-games disposition.

Source : bsc.news