I remember when NFTs first started creeping into gaming. Some executive—probably the same type of guy who calls video games “content experiences”—stood up on stage and told us that owning digital items on the blockchain was the future.
And I remember the entire gaming community, for once, collectively agreeing: no. Absolutely not.
It was one of the few times we pushed back so hard that companies actually backed down. Ubisoft tried it. EA tried it. Square Enix went all-in and still had to pretend like it wasn’t a total disaster. Even blockchain-based “play-to-earn” games—basically pyramid schemes in disguise—fizzled out when people realized that no one actually wanted to play them.
We won that battle.
And then gaming companies just… found new ways to rip us off.
Because while NFTs were a painfully obvious scam, the monetization schemes we have now are even worse—because they actually work.
The Death of Microtransactions—And the Birth of Something Worse
We’ve been fighting the battle against microtransactions for years. And at first, it seemed like we were making progress. Loot boxes started getting banned in some countries. Players became more aware of predatory gambling mechanics. Studios had to backtrack when they pushed too far (looking at you, Star Wars Battlefront II).
But instead of killing off bad monetization, publishers just evolved it.
- Loot boxes got rebranded as battle passes.
- Microtransactions stopped being about “pay to win” and became “pay for cosmetics” (as if charging $20 for a digital outfit is somehow better).
- Seasonal content and live service models created artificial FOMO, making sure you always feel like you’re missing out unless you log in every day.
And now, we’ve reached the point where most games are built around monetization first—and gameplay second.
The Real Scam: You Never Own What You Buy
At least with NFTs, the promise (even if it was bullshit) was that you owned something. That digital sword, that skin, that piece of “unique” in-game property? It was yours.
Now? You’re paying for nothing.
- When you buy skins in a game, you don’t own them. They exist on a company’s server, and if that game ever shuts down? They’re gone.
- When you buy a battle pass, you’re paying for temporary content—things that disappear if you don’t unlock them fast enough.
- When you pre-order digital deluxe editions, you’re paying extra money for items that probably won’t even work when the game launches half-broken.
It’s all about keeping you engaged, always spending, always invested.
Because if you owned something, you could just buy it once and be done. But if you’re renting access to content that can be taken away at any time? You’re always on the hook for more.
The Future of Gaming Isn’t Ownership—It’s a Subscription Trap
This is the real scam. It’s not NFTs. It’s not loot boxes. It’s the slow, creeping shift toward never actually owning your games.
Look at what’s happening:
- More and more publishers are pushing subscription models. Game Pass. PlayStation Plus. EA Play. Ubisoft+.
- More games are moving to always-online requirements, even for single-player content.
- More games are removing content and replacing it with rotating seasonal updates, so if you miss something, it’s gone forever.
At some point, we’re going to wake up and realize that we’re just renting access to everything.
And when that happens, gaming is going to feel less like an art form—and more like a theme park controlled by corporate landlords.
So What Can We Do?
We stopped NFTs. We can stop this.
- Support games that actually let you own what you buy.
- Push back against always-online DRM.
- Stop rewarding predatory monetization by refusing to spend money on it.
Because if we don’t? The future of gaming isn’t just expensive.
It’s a paywalled, content-rented, FOMO-fueled nightmare.