Team17 partner studios criticise the publisher’s NFT announcement

A number of development studios whose games were recently published by Team17 have publicly criticised the company’s decision to sell NFTs.

NFTs are unique non-interchangeable units of data stored on a blockchain (a form of digital ledger), which effectively allow users to own, buy and sell digital items such as in-game items or artwork.

Many game companies have already started selling digital items as NFTs, such as Ubisoft and Konami, while others such as Square Enix have expressed enthusiasm for the tech trend.

However, the companies have attracted criticism due to the NFT format’s high carbon footprint and what many perceive to be cynical implementation.

SMG Studio, Navegante and Aggro Crab Games have all spoken out following Monday’s announcement that Team17 is partnering with a blockchain company to sell “potentially quite valuable” NFTs based on its Worms series of games.

Aggro Crab, which developed Team17’s critically acclaimed 2020 title Going Under, has gone a step further by stating that it will no longer work with Team17, and is encouraging other indie developers to take the same stance.

“We at Aggro Crab condemn Team17’s decision to produce and engage with NFTs,” the studio’s co-founders Nick Kaman and Caelan Pollock tweeted in a statement.

“We believe NFTs cannot be environmentally friendly, or useful, and really are just an overall fucking grift.

“Please do not harass employees at Team17 or the devs under their umbrella, as this decision seems to have taken everyone off guard and likely came from the very top.

“Needless to say, we will not be working with them on further titles, and encourage other indie developers to do the same unless this decision is reversed. I fucking hate it here.”

Aggro Crab’s statement was followed a few hours later by one from Navegante, the team behind Team17’s 2021 release Greak: Memories of Azur.

“With how things have been heading lately we think it is important to clarify our stand towards NFTs,” the statement reads.

“The Navegante team doesn’t support or has any plans to get involved with NFTs in any way. We are passionate about providing value to the gaming industry and making it better.”

Perhaps the most notable statement, however, came earlier today from SMG Studio, the team behind Team17’s popular title Moving Out.

“We want to focus on making fun games. Remember when people played games to have fun and just escape the grind of real life? SMG farms does.

“We don’t want an * hanging above our name with being associated with NFTs or any of the crypto/blockchain gaming mess.”

UPDATE: Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic Games has also responded: