Update:
Less than two days after unveiling its initiative with the Winky Partner Programme on 'Web3' services, related to cryptocurrencies and NFTs, Plug In Digital has now withdrawn from the project.
Original Article (24th February):
Plug In Digital has been active in the gaming industry for over a decade and has enjoyed notable growth in recent years. It offers a broad range of services but may be best known for its two publishing labels - Dear Villagers and PID. Some notable Switch releases from those two labels in recent years include ScourgeBringer, The Forgotten City, Astria Ascending and Alba: A Wildlife Adventure.
Now the company has announced that it's working on the 'Winky Partners Program', framing it as a focus on web3 (or web 3.0).
https://twitter.com/plugindigital/status/1496501098215088134
The project's official website encourages companies to sign up for the following:
The goal of Winky Partners is to help companies successfully create and promote their ICO and/or their NFT projects.
Selected companies will be featured to the communities of investors, advisors, partners and social media followers of The Winkyverse.
They will also benefit from 360° services with our partner agency Global UP who helped us create and promote our ICO and collection of NFTs.
This comes back to blockchain-based products once again, with NFTs and cryptocurrencies at its heart (ICO stands for 'Initial Coin Offering').
At the time of writing the responses to the Twitter post are largely negative, as has been the trend with announcements of this nature. A number of game companies have been exploring these areas; recent examples included Konami selling NFTs, and Team17 announcing and then withdrawing its own project after a backlash. SEGA seems to be backing away after previous enthusiasm, while Square Enix recognises the criticism but seems eager to pursue blockchain-based technology.
In this case Plug In Digital is seemingly working to drive forward a services and consultancy platform for Web3, though it'll still have to face down resistance from fans and, potentially, current business partners.
Comments 53
Why does every company like nfts so much just stop
"How many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old man?"
Hoping the devs they publish make a stand against this like the ones under Team17 did.
NFTs are a legitimate way to scam people of their money.
And...typically...companies like free money.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMUnNsY2ztg
That has got to be, without question, the worst name ever given to a 'metaverse'. ****** WINKYVERSE?!
Well I almost bought Alba: a Wildlife Adventure the other day but now I definitely shall not.
@Gwynbleidd I'm surprised you're surprised at their surprised reactions
These companies are out of control with this stuff.
@zapswitch because you can earn more money even easier (cough lazier cough) as a company this way.
I don't want to start the whole NFT discussion again (got some not fun messages from some people last time) but for me it is simple.
NO NFTS IN GAMES, PERIOD.
NFTs are not meant to be in games to begin with, because every company will only use them to milk out more money.
In other places NFTs are fine in some cases, but that aside.
Congratulations you just made the list!!!
People still push NFT's? It's been widely known that people just don't like them.
...Literally who?
Ok my comment got deleted for being spam so basically smg4 made a video that makes fun of nfts.
And I’m not gonna post a link since it might be seen as spam again.
Winkyverse has to be the worst name anyone has given anything
Oh I was gonna buy Astria Ascending too. haha. Ah well, one less game to clog my backlog.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ_xWvX1n9g
obligatory recommend of the video Line Goes Up – The Problem With NFTs
Nice, removed Alba from my wishlist.
Good to know, now I'll just remove Alba from my wishlist.
Well no longer buying their games. I'll take The Forgotten City and Astria off my wishlists
I feel that the first vowel is incorrect in the Winkyverse.
Removed - inappropriate
And in no more than two weeks we'll be getting an article about how they're not doing NFTs because people told them the obvious.
@LouBlu08 Same reason why loot boxes were pushed despite being widely criticized. Except this idea is worse.
Guess I'll be saving myself some money now.
That's one way to ensure I don't buy any more of their games.
Alternate Title:
Plug In Digital the latest game company I will never think about beyond this day.
Could you make a list of companies trying to force NFT to happen so we know which one to boycott?
NOOOOO....!
Not that Alba game.
Could i buy only the physical game from Alba?
NFTs are fantastic… as a means of companies outing themselves as exploitative, scummy organisations that should be abandoned to rot.
Too bad about Alba. Played it on IPad and thought it was good. But I too do not want to support companies who are into the NFT scam.
Nintendo Life thank you for reporting about these companies! You guys rock!
I wanted to play the forgotten city :c
Back in my day "winky" meant "penis"
Removed - inappropriate; user is banned
On the boycott list they go.
This is such an unfortunate name.
Well, that sure was fast lol. If only every company was this easily swayed when it came to backing out of NFTs
What is even the point of retracting their plans for NFTs? Either do it and have the spine to back it up, or don't.
Suckered another naive blog into two days of free advertisements.
"We will do what we do best"
What's that? Bad foresight and backtracking!
The number of companies that are backtracking just days after these announcements is really sus. They either are not doing the research and then are suprised by the amount of backlash, or are throwing it out there to see the results and responding based on public reception.
@MostHandsieBoy Maybe, but it's hurting their reputations. Wouldn't it be easier to do the Playtonic way and come out against NFTs?. Thereby strengthening your rep and still getting that free ad space.
Okay... well this is literally just publicity then
I love to see this happening consistently.
Whilst I'm glad that they backed down, there shouldn't have been an effort to enter into NFTs to begin with.
Not after the huge backlash against Ubisoft's Quarts.
Not after S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 backed away from them.
Not after Team 17 had to cancel their plans following developer and consumer backlash.
We're at the point that you should not even consider announcing this sort of plan, walking it back won't undo the PR damage.
@Richnj Reputation? What reputation? No one knew who these people were a few days ago and now people are stopping into talk about NFTs that they never once intended on delivering.
We have an idea.
Oh no, comments on social media after 8 hours have made us change our minds on the plans we have been talking about for months.
With all the respect - Gamers, and the people who write about them, are about the most dense group of consumers who have ever existed. So easily manipulated. Like babies.
Looks like Plug In Digital has no choice but to have their the NFT plans unpluged.
Hahaha. Get it?
@MostHandsieBoy The reputation they have now earned themselves as one of the guys that wanted to do NFTs.
Why are companies bothering with this? Seems like its all advertising, sorry I have never heard of "Plug in Digital" but now we are talking about them. They say they are going in to NFTs, then pull out a few days later
Oh look aren't we heroes who you have never heard of
Sorry, but for now on all of these to me seems like some really bad publicity stunt
lol
Do these people not follow what's happening with their peers at all? Why announce plans to do NFT stuff and then back out after the inevitable backlash hits? It's not even one of those moves that makes them look good.
Maybe it's a way for deeply unknown companies to get their name out there or something?
@Ralizah Perhaps the logic was "If we look like another company interested in NFTs and then publicly back down - maybe consumers will use us as an example for other companies to be more like us and applaud us for making this choice."
Perhaps I'm giving them too much credit by thinking they had an ulterior motive, but their announcement was 2 days ago and now they decide to back out publicly. 2 days is just really fast for a decision like this.
As you said, maybe they just thought any PR is good PR, even when linked to NFTs.
Reminds me of a bully in the Playground saying to a kid hey kid gimme your lunch money and the scared kid does but in this case it's a Company running scared from a bunch of angry Twitter people 🤣
Please forgive me it's just my sense of humour.
Another one returns to the land of the living, luckily.
It's weird how aggressively they've been trying to push this NFT nonsense.
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