Popular video game digital distribution service Steam has discretely changed their rules and guidelines to preclude and kick games built on the blockchain network that issue or allow cryptocurrencies or Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).
Valve Corporation, the owner of Steam, have updated Steam's user rules much to the dismay of many blockchain game developers. SpacePirate Games, responsible for the creation of Age of Rust, took to Twitter to say it had been notified that their game was going to be removed from Steam:
Community: A few minutes ago, we were notified that @Steam will be kicking *all blockchain games* off the platform, including Age of Rust, because NFTs have value.
Age of Rust is single-player sci-fi action adventure game that rewards users with NFTs and cryptocurrencies upon completion of challenges and puzzles. Valve has yet to provide any reason for reaching the decision to kick all blockchain and NFT capable games, but according to SpacePirate Games it appears that Steam does not allow items that have 'real world value'.
Steam's Community Market boasts a range of products available for purchase in local currency. These range from NFT-style trading cards to 'booster packs' for specific games. Last year a Chinese collector paid USD $100,000 for a gun skin in Valve's own game: 'Counter Strike: Global Offensive' (CSGO).
As more developers explore the potential of NFTs and cryptos as a means of engaging users and giving users value, companies like Steam, who currently charge a 5% transaction fee for marketplace sales, may feel threatened.
Could Valve have banned NFT and crypto capable games to avoid any fallout from NFT scams? Perhaps they simply wish to limit any game which might cause them a legal headache, particularly after being sued for involvement in an online gambling network facilitated through CSGO.