Google Play Store has officially announced its support for nonfungible token (NFT) games. In a recent blog post dated July 12, Joseph Mills, the group product manager at Google Play, shared the exciting news. He emphasized that the store is updating its policies to enable new ways of transacting blockchain-based digital content within apps and games.
Mills also highlighted the potential of NFTs to enhance user loyalty by offering unique rewards.
A Shift in Policy
This move by Google Play marks a significant shift in its stance towards NFT games. Previously, the platform had banned crypto mining apps in 2018. It also removed the Bitcoin Blast video game in 2020 due to deceptive practices. In October of the same year, Apple’s App Store made it clear that NFTs purchased outside of their platform cannot provide special benefits to users within a game.
Failure to comply with this rule would result in a ban. Moreover, games selling NFTs through Apple’s App Store version were required to pay a 30% fee to Apple.
Challenges, Misconceptions and Clear Guidelines for Developers
These actions and statements created confusion and led many industry experts to speculate that mobile NFT games were under attack. However, Google Play’s latest policy announcement makes it abundantly clear that NFT games are welcome on Android devices. The platform aims to foster a thriving ecosystem while maintaining certain rules.
According to the blog post, developers must explicitly indicate if their game allows users to earn or purchase NFTs or cryptocurrencies. Transparency is key to ensure users understand the mechanics of the game and its associated digital assets.
Additionally, developers are prohibited from glamorizing potential earnings from playing or trading activities. The sale of loot boxes or any form of gambling within the game is strictly forbidden.
Embracing Tokenized Assets
As long as developers adhere to these guidelines, they are free to incorporate tokenized assets into their games. This opens up possibilities for innovative gameplay experiences by reimagining traditional games with user-owned content.
Google Play has worked closely with leaders in the Web3 gaming industry to establish these guidelines. As a result, it aims to maintain an ongoing dialogue with developers to better understand their challenges and opportunities.