Gabe Newell Takes A Flamethrower To The Metaverse And NFTs

[Mr Jt (Gog is king)]

Back when blockchain gaming was first starting to take off, Steam took an early stance that it would not allow blockchain-based games on its platform, while rivals like Epic Games said they were more open to it. Now, Gabe is talking about both that decision, and all the tech hype surrounding the “metaverse.” It’s…kind of amazing.


"The things that were being done were super sketchy. And there was some illegal ♥♥♥♥ that was going on behind the scenes, and you're just like, yeah, this is bad. Blockchains as a technology are a great technology, that the ways in which has been utilized are currently are all pretty sketchy. And you sort of want to stay away from that…. The people who are currently active in that space are not usually good actors."

And on the metaverse (via PC Gamer):

"There's a bunch of get rich quick schemes around metaverse. Most of the people who are talking about metaverse have absolutely no idea what they're talking about. And they've apparently never played an MMO. They're like, 'Oh, you'll have this customizable avatar.' And it's like, well... go into La Noscea in Final Fantasy 14 and tell me that this isn't a solved problem from a decade ago, not some fabulous thing that you're, you know, inventing.

Here, Newell is saying plainly what many in the gaming community have been thinking when it comes to the “metaverse” presented as a bunch of blockchain-based Second Life knockoffs that are selling virtual real-estate to stupid business brands for millions. Meanwhile, actual metaverses, immersive video games, have been around for decades and already do all the things and much, much more than these newcomers.

Very few people in this space will speak this frankly about the current gold rush situation when it comes to the blockchain, NFTs and the metaverse, but it’s great to hear from industry icon Gabe here to set the record straight.

The future of blockchain gaming and the metaverse remains hazy. Traditional publishers have been mostly scared away from offering NFTs in their games after massive, violent pushback from players whenever the issue comes up. Blockchain gaming remains its own space mostly occupied by crypto enthusiasts, not core gamers. And as for the metaverse? The main blockchain metaverses probably have no more than 10,000 DAUs combined, less than the top hundred games on Steam. Facebook is pushing for its VR-focused metaverse with Horizon, but few trust them to get it right, and they’ve already run into many privacy and harassment issues there.

The Steam Deck? Now that’s an advancement that’s a much easier sell, PC gaming on the go. And no controversies are erupting as a result.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2022/02/26/valves-gabe-newell-takes-a-flamethrower-to-the-metaverse-and-nfts/amp/

[Samwise]

Escrito originalmente por 𝕎𝔸𝕃𝕋𝔼ℝ:

Escrito originalmente por Samwise:

I didnt understand any of that

TLDR - NFT bad, btw have you heard about our new handheld?

Steam deck? Will buy it for sure.

[Samwise]

Escrito originalmente por 𝕎𝔸𝕃𝕋𝔼ℝ:

Escrito originalmente por Samwise:

Steam deck? Will buy it for sure.

No I was giving you a TLDR. I'm not advertising anything here. I guess you don't get what I was trying to imply.

Well, i am Samwise after all

[Soap]

Escrito originalmente por Samwise:

Escrito originalmente por 𝕎𝔸𝕃𝕋𝔼ℝ:

No I was giving you a TLDR. I'm not advertising anything here. I guess you don't get what I was trying to imply.

Well, i am Samwise after all

Samwise crack. It's not a drug. But it's still addictive.

Edit: Does it read better as Samwisecrack?

[Mr. Smiles]

Gabe Newell says "no' to Seconds Life 2.

[crunchyfrog]

Escrito originalmente por Mr. Smiles:

Gabe Newell says "no' to Seconds Life 2.

More like Second Life: Alpha.

Remmeber these "promises" of the metaverse and the shiny stuff are always worse than what came before not better.

[Mr. Smiles]

Escrito originalmente por crunchyfrog:

Escrito originalmente por Mr. Smiles:

Gabe Newell says "no' to Seconds Life 2.

More like Second Life: Alpha.

Remmeber these "promises" of the metaverse and the shiny stuff are always worse than what came before not better.

Who ever said sequels were supposed to automatically be better?

[crunchyfrog]

Escrito originalmente por Mr. Smiles:

Escrito originalmente por crunchyfrog:

More like Second Life: Alpha.

Remmeber these "promises" of the metaverse and the shiny stuff are always worse than what came before not better.

Who ever said sequels were supposed to automatically be better?

Agh, fair point.

I forgot about the likes of triple A and modern gaming ;)

Second Life: Early Access Elon Musk edition?

[permanent name]

Forbes' games journalism has been pretty good for a while now. There aren't many outlets doing even the bare minimum.

[Ailes]

Just go check out some videos on Earth 2 or Star Atlas on YouTube, what people are commenting there. Some seem to buy into the vague concepts that these "games" feature, unless those positive commentators aren't bots or bought or whatever. Earth 2 does some Unity engine asset flip and some of these naive people are already wetting themselves; and Star Atlas last time I checked only had a fancy CGI movie-like trailer made by an outside team and some ship flying into a hangar with what in a hundred years never were actual ingame graphics. But even that some took for genuine developing efforts and actual footage of what would come out in the end.

But of course those never seem to be genuine players. All the channels and sites that keep hyping these "metaverses" are all about "investment", "crypto", "trading", "finances" and so on. Show me one source/one person that actually knows a thing about gaming, who is gaming themselves, who advocates for this.

It's an insult to the intellect of genuine players what these people write. Someone says that Earth 2 or Star Atlas are just all theory and pretty images on a website and then those cryptobros are replying with statements like (freely translated) "Dude, I can stake my ships right now, I'm earning X dollars per day, this is totally a game, you talking ♥♥♥♥!"

Many weeks back there was this one article from a guy who wrote he was sceptical at first too, but then saw the opportunities NFTs and some "metaverse" would presumably open up. And guess what? He was just repeating the buzzwords and marketing slogans and vague (and utterly unrealistic) prophecies of interoperable game assets, as well as saying that some Spiderman NFT he had bought might be worth much more in the future while it was in some digital vault of his. So even for that gamer guy, it all translated into "We >might< see >something< happen in the future" and "I'M GONNA BE RICH, BABY!"

TL:DR: I'm not buying these metaverse fantasies either. No one who is into gaming, either player or developer, is seriously believing the nonsense some keep spinning.

[crunchyfrog]

Escrito originalmente por Ailes:

Just go check out some videos on Earth 2 or Star Atlas on YouTube, what people are commenting there. Some seem to buy into the vague concepts that these "games" feature, unless those positive commentators aren't bots or bought or whatever. Earth 2 does some Unity engine asset flip and some of these naive people are already wetting themselves; and Star Atlas last time I checked only had a fancy CGI movie-like trailer made by an outside team and some ship flying into a hangar with what in a hundred years never were actual ingame graphics. But even that some took for genuine developing efforts and actual footage of what would come out in the end.

But of course those never seem to be genuine players. All the channels and sites that keep hyping these "metaverses" are all about "investment", "crypto", "trading", "finances" and so on. Show me one source/one person that actually knows a thing about gaming, who is gaming themselves, who advocates for this.

It's an insult to the intellect of genuine players what these people write. Someone says that Earth 2 or Star Atlas are just all theory and pretty images on a website and then those cryptobros are replying with statements like (freely translated) "Dude, I can stake my ships right now, I'm earning X dollars per day, this is totally a game, you talking ♥♥♥♥!"

Many weeks back there was this one article from a guy who wrote he was sceptical at first too, but then saw the opportunities NFTs and some "metaverse" would presumably open up. And guess what? He was just repeating the buzzwords and marketing slogans and vague (and utterly unrealistic) prophecies of interoperable game assets, as well as saying that some Spiderman NFT he had bought might be worth much more in the future while it was in some digital vault of his. So even for that gamer guy, it all translated into "We >might< see >something< happen in the future" and "I'M GONNA BE RICH, BABY!"

TL:DR: I'm not buying these metaverse fantasies either. No one who is into gaming, either player or developer, is seriously believing the nonsense some keep spinning.

It rather boils down to this and it's endemic of problems in society as a whole.

The people who fall for NFT ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ and stuff like Earth 2 are people who are in the same situation as those who fall for scams or political nonsense or any other ♥♥♥♥ like flat earth, MLMs, or any other crap that goes on today.

Basically they don't understand basic schoolboy level logic. They don't know how to evaluate evidence and simply believe what they WANT to believe.

There's also the situation with people like this that they are ignorant but don't want o admit their ignorance, so instead of doing the obvious thing, like when someone rolls out some buzzword, instead of saying "hwat's the mean?" they go "oohh, cool". All hoping that nobojdy spots the fact they don't understand the first thing about it.

The only ones truly in it for the money and understanding it are those that are doing the fleecing of others.

[Necromancer]

"There's a bunch of get rich quick schemes........."
Ahh yes industry icon GabeN talking about get rich quick shemes. Valve and GabeN would never do that, right ?....... Are you guys serious ? I dont like Ntfs, Metaverse and so on either but giving them a free pass for all the BS they have done in the last 10 years is just too much. I just cant.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Escrito originalmente por Draxos:

"There's a bunch of get rich quick schemes........."
Ahh yes industry icon GabeN talking about get rich quick shemes. Valve and GabeN would never do that, right ?....... Are you guys serious ? I dont like Ntfs, Metaverse and so on either but giving them a free pass for all the BS they have done in the last 10 years is just too much. I just cant.

I don't think anyone need to turn blind eye, and most wouldn't care if they close market place either.

But he not wrong, and he is looking out for his platform. If you run a shop, you try to avoid accepting counterfeit goods do you not? That the point that is being made.

[Ⓥenom Ⓢnake 🐍]

I actually just read this article yesterday. Good for you, Gabe. He could be taking in cash off this, but he made a stand after watching what was going on with Bitcoin in place on Steam, and went nope. This screws everyone BUT us.

[Necromancer]

Escrito originalmente por Dr.Shadowds 🐉:

Escrito originalmente por Draxos:

"There's a bunch of get rich quick schemes........."
Ahh yes industry icon GabeN talking about get rich quick shemes. Valve and GabeN would never do that, right ?....... Are you guys serious ? I dont like Ntfs, Metaverse and so on either but giving them a free pass for all the BS they have done in the last 10 years is just too much. I just cant.

I don't think anyone need to turn blind eye, and most wouldn't care if they close market place either.

But he not wrong, and he is looking out for his platform. If you run a shop, you try to avoid accepting counterfeit goods do you not? That the point that is being made.

"Blockchain technology, such as cryptocurrencies and NFTs, are seen as additional monetization routes for video games. Many live-service games offer in-game customization options, such as character skins or other in-game items, which the players can earn and trade with other players using in-game currency. Some games also allow for trading of virtual items using real-world currency, but this may be illegal in some countries where video games are seen as akin to gambling, and has led to gray market issues such as skin gambling, and thus publishers typically have shied away from allowing players to earn real-world funds from games.[1] Blockchain games typically allow players to trade these in-game items for cryptocurrency, which can then be exchanged for money, while avoiding problems associated with gray markets due to blockchain's accountability"

Yeah right................................... Valve and GabeN would never do that. They just turn a blind eye on Skin and Lootcrategambling. Skins arent just like Nft's on this platform where one can profit of it. Are you guys serious ? The EU even fined Valve $9.4M for illegal geo-blocking and they want to take down Lootcrates in the EU because it actually promotes gambling for kids. Dont act like they are some benelovent good guys. They dont give a ♥♥♥♥ about EU consumer laws and this is frankly insulting to me because i live here.

[🍋 Lemonfed 🍋]

most countries are not stupid , if they banned or restricted real money lootboxes they're gonna put the same restriction on NFT items once their politiciants understand what NFT are.