The maker of a popular video game series is dropping plans for NFTs after outcry from fans

• Video game publisher GSC Game World has yanked plans to launch NFTs for its S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 title.
• The company reversed course after receiving backlash from gaming fans.

GSC Game World has pulled its plan to create non-fungible tokens for its S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 video game, responding to heavy pushback by gaming fans.

The Ukrainian video game developer had planned to partner with DMarket to launch NFTs for its "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Metaverse" title, saying in a press release this week it would use blockchain technology to let the community own a piece of "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2."

The plan included the game having its own "metaverse" in which players can move as a "metahuman" with an NFT in the form of a non-player character, or NPC. But the company eventually stepped away from its plans.

"We hear you," wrote GSC Game World, in a post on its Twitter account. "Based on the feedback we received, we've made a decision to cancel anything NFT-related in STALKER 2," it said, adding that the interest of its fans and players is its priority.

Gamers in social media platforms such as the Stalker subreddit and on gaming-news platforms pushed back on GSC's plan as well as on NFTs created for games in general. They cited issues like environmental concerns related to mining digital tokens tied to NFTs and the notion of creating value out of artificial scarcity.

The controversy follows gaming giant Ubisoft's announcement earlier this month to create the first-ever playable NFTs that users can collect and apply as in-game cosmetics. But it, too, quickly received backlash from gamers.

For its part, GSC initially touted its NFT plan as a way to "give certain fans an opportunity to get into the game without interfering with other players' experience," according to a previous statement that was reportedly deleted.

GSC continued: "That's why the tokens are entirely optional and have no impact on gameplay or story (no weapons, quests, locations, etc) and can be activated only before the game release [date]."