Square Enix sink into partnership with "environmentally-friendly" blockchain firm Oasys Rock Paper Shotgun Support us Join our newsletter Visit our store Sign in / Create account If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Square Enix sink into partnership with "environmentally-friendly" blockchain firm Oasys They join Sega and Bandai Namco as so-called "validators" News by CJ Wheeler News Reporter Published on Sept. 12, 2022 27 comments Square Enix are taking more steps to implement the controversial blockchain technology in their games. Squeenix have teamed with blockchain company Oasys, who describe themselves as "environmentally-friendly". This is because of their less energy-intensive "proof-of-stake" mechanism compared to "proof-of-work" methods such as those used in Bitcoin mining. Oasys's plans fits with Squeenix's intention to develop tokenised economies built on blockchain in their future games. Square Enix are just one of a number of games companies to invest in Oasys's platform so far. Bandai Namco, Sega and Ubisoft are some of the biggies who've jumped aboard to invest in Oasys as "validators". Squeenix and Oasys say their deal will allow them to "explore the feasibility of harnessing user contributions" when developing new games on the blockchain. Oh happy day. Watch on YouTube Stranger In Paradise is a strange entry in the Final Fantasy series indeed, as Liam and Ed found out. The deal between Square Enix and Oasys is the most recent move along the publisher's very insistent blockchain journey. At the start of 2022, the company's president Yosuke Matsuda issued a New Year letter that talked up fuzzy new-age tech such as NFTs, blockchain and the metaverse, along with the slightly more sensible cloud gaming. At the time, Matsuda didn't seem to know how they'd go about achieving that blockchain future. Mucking about with Final Fantasy 7 NFTs for the game's 25th anniversary didn't help matters. When Square Enix sold IP including Tomb Raider and Deus Ex to Embracer Group for $300 million back in May, a statement on the Japanese company's website claimed one of the benefits of the sale would be launching "new businesses by moving forward with investments in fields including blockchain, AI, and the cloud". The partnership with Oasys seems to be one of the first tangible moves towards whatever it is they are hoping to achieve. I use the word tangible very loosely about blockchain. I don't fancy blockchain and NFTs much. They honk of an Emperor's New Clothes mentality in the upper echelons of the games industry for one thing. The environmental implications of some of these technologies sound pretty bloomin' awful too. Increasingly though, it seems that it's just a matter of time until big publishers decide to shoehorn blockchain into their games. More News Jack King-Spooner's next handcrafted game has a teaser demo out Judero brings chat and action in the Scottish Borders Alice O'Connor 17 hours ago 1 If you were hoping for any Overwatch 2 balance changes then you'll have to wait until season two The next season begins in December CJ Wheeler 18 hours ago 3 The Dead Space remake will chuck random Necromorphs at you as you wander the Ishimura In space, no one can hear you proper bricking it CJ Wheeler 18 hours ago 8 Valve register mysterious new Neon Prime trademark in the US It doesn’t seem to be for a particularly colourful Steam Deck CJ Wheeler 20 hours ago 11 Latest Articles What are we all playing this weekend? Well? Alice O'Connor an hour ago 21 Past Wordle answers Here's an archive of previous Wordle words Ollie Toms 2 hours ago 1 Wordle answer today (Saturday 15 October) Hints and the answer to today's Wordle word Rebecca Jones 9 hours ago Overwatch 2 hero tier list Which are the best heroes in Overwatch 2? Ollie Toms 16 hours ago Supporters Only You're probably better than me at One Many Nobody You go on without… uh, you? Sin Vega 17 hours ago Supporter podcast - The Nate Files episode 13: dry bones Bad science is also FUN science! Alice Bell 18 hours ago Japanese dating show Love Wagon has surprising parallels with Yakuza and Persona My new obsession Ed Thorn 2 days ago If you're hankering after Bayonetta 3, Valkyrie Elysium might be a good substitute It's not out on PC until next month, but the console demo has been a surprise charmer Katharine Castle 1 week ago 4 We've been talking, and we think that you should wear clothes Total coincidence, but we sell some clothes Buy RPS stuff here