Sega cools blockchain and NFT interest, questions whether tech will "take off"

Sega is reportedly cooling its interest in the blockchain game market after prevously suggesting it might leverage the technology to create a "SuperGame."

During a recent interview with Bloomberg, Sega co-COO Shuji Utsumi said the company is shelving plans to develop its own blockchain games for the time being.

Utsumi added that it will also be preventing third-parties from using its biggest franchises in their blockchain projects.

The Sonic and Yakuza publisher does, however, still plan on letting external partners use characters from smaller franchises like Three Kingdoms and Virtua Fighter to create NFTs.

Elaborating on the company's current stance where NFTs and blockchain projects are concerned, Utsumi said the "action in play-to-earn games is boring."

"What's the point if [the] games are no fun?" they added. "We're looking into whether this technology is really going to take off in this industry, after all."

Sega questions whether blockchain games will take off

Sega previously partnered with web3 studio Double Jump Tokyo to create a blockchain title based on the Sangokushi Taisen license.

It has also indicated it could use NFTs to realize its much-touted "SuperGame" project, which it has described as the "development of triple-A titles that cross over Sega's comprehensive range of technologies."

"It is a natural extension for the future of gaming that it will expand to involve new areas such as cloud gaming and NFT. We are also developing SuperGame from the perspective of how far different games can be connected to each other," said Utsumi, describing the project at the time.

Although Sega has thrown its weight behind the nascent technologies, it has previously suggested it would scrap its NFT plans if it was unable to "mitigate the negative elements."