One of the more notable reveals from Gamescom Opening Night Live has been mired in controversy, as viewers quickly took note that the devs behind Everywhere are looking into NFT technology.
Everywhere developer Build a Rocket Boy has a whole subcategory on its job listings page for 'blockchain,' looking for programmers, developers, and engineers able to build blockchain technology for the game, with a particular emphasis on Ethereum technology.
While the trailer did not make any specific mention of NFTs or blockchain technology, it's pretty clear that Everywhere is leaning into the connected, player-driven experiences that Mark Zuckerberg has somehow convinced the world to refer to as the "Metaverse." According to the description on the official site, Everywhere "seamlessly blends gameplay, adventure, creativity and discovery in an all-new multi-world gaming experience that redefines how players connect with one another and with the digital world around them."
Given how often NFTs and blockchain technology are associated with Metaverse projects, it's little surprise to see Everywhere's developers researching its potential uses. And, for now, the developers are emphasizing the research part - at least while players are raising the usual concerns about NFTs.
"We’re seeing some conversation on NFTs/Cryptos that are prompted by some of our open positions on our website," a representative of Build a Rocket Boy says on Reddit (via Eurogamer). "These are research positions, as we do not like dismissing new technologies only because others haven’t found a solution for them yet. We are building Everywhere on Unreal Engine 5, not the blockchain."
The statement concludes with "We hope this helps clarify some of the speculations around this topic," though it doesn't really seem to clarify anything. Players are concerned that Everywhere will use blockchain technology. Everywhere's developers are looking into using blockchain technology.
If you need NFTs explained, you can follow that link for a big breakdown of why the technology is proving so controversial.
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