Valve is now banning all games that feature cryptocurrency or NFT trading from its Steam storefront.
Steam will no longer let games or other software onto its storefront if they engage in any cryptocurrency or NFT trading using blockchain technology. Cryptocurrencies and NFTs were tagged onto to the list of prohibited application features on Steam’s Steamworks Onboarding document for developers shipping titles on its platform, specifically «[a]pplications built on blockchain technology that issue or allow exchange of cryptocurrencies or NFTs.» Its not immediately clear when the new rule was added to the list, but according to Engadget, it appears to have been sometime after October 6. Some developers appear to have been notified directly by Valve of the rule change. Valve hasn’t specified why it updated its rules or what its issue with cryptocurrencies and NFTs might be, but we’ve reached out to Valve and will update this story if we hear back from the company. It’s no secret that I don’t put much faith in cryptocurrencies to do anything other than help accelerate the destruction of our environment, and NFTs – which are at least more noble in intent, who doesn’t want artists to get paid fairly for their work? – likewise look like an interesting computer science exercise in theory, but in practice, feels more like everyone collecting Furbies and expecting to retire on their investment.
