Sega has backtracked on plans to allow the use of its big-name intellectual property in third-party blockchain games.
Withholding characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega co-chief operating officer Shuji Utsumi suggested granting developers rights to use such figures could devalue the content.
“The action in play-to-earn games is boring,” he told Bloomberg. “What’s the point if games are no fun?”
Utsumi had previously backed introducing the company’s franchises to the blockchain gaming market, where players can own in-game assets, such as characters and props, which can be stored and traded as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
“We’re looking into whether this technology is really going to take off in this industry after all,” he continued, confirming Sonic and other big franchises like Yakuza would not be used.
Blockchain gaming has struggled to make ground in recent years after the idea first appeared in 2017, with Electronic Arts (EA) having previously largely turned its back on the segment.
Utsumi confirmed smaller names such as the developer’s Three Kingdoms and Virtua Fighter series could still be used.
However, the lack of willingness from Sega to introduce its larger gaming brands to the market marks another blow for blockchain gaming, which has failed to live up to initial hype thus far.