Japanese entertainment and video game company Konami has announced its massive hiring spree alongside its efforts to expand its NFT, Web3, and Metaverse offerings.
In a press release, Japanese gaming giant Konami announced that it looks to expand its crypto-versed talent pool in congruence with its efforts to develop Web3 and Metaverse “experiences.” The company also seeks to create an NFT marketplace and a new platform for players to trade in-game NFTs.
According to the press release, the Japanese game publisher is recruiting a “wide range of talent for system construction and service development to provide new experiences such as Web3 and Metaverse.”
Konami’s Web3 Expansion
Konami’s October 13 announcement mentioned hiring a “wide range of talent” for “system construction and service development,” obviously referring to upcoming Metaverse and Web3 platforms. The statement said the company has been working hard on research and development to integrate the “latest technology” into its games and content.
Konami also implied its plans to launch an NFT trading platform where players can trade in-game digital items. The game publisher also plans to create NFTs that “can be used in-game as items, as well as [to] participate in fan communities and events, and interact with other services and communities to further expand the user experience.”
The company has established a reputation among traditional gaming circles for being the brains behind the Metal Gear Solid franchise, Dance Dance Revolution, Frogger, and Castlevania.
“We have been conducting research and development to incorporate the latest technology into games and contents, and plan to launch a service where players can trade their in-game NFTs (digital items) through a unique distribution platform using blockchain,” said the press release.
According to Konami, it is developing “a unique digital item distribution platform” conforming to “Guidelines for Blockchain Games” as set forth by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association, Japan Online Game Association, and the Mobile Content Forum.
Konami Needs Plenty of New Talents
Konami is now looking to fill several positions, including engineers, programmers, project managers, designers, and directors, to work on the proposed NFT platform.
Per the press release announcing the mass hiring, the company said they are filling the abovementioned positions to “further strengthen [their] structure and accelerate [their] business.” The new hires will be expected to work with the company in expanding its “business to evolve with a new future for digital entertainment.”
Not its First Rodeo
It is not Konami’s maiden foray into anything Web3-related. In January, the game publisher launched an NFT collection, the “Konami Memorial NFT collection,” celebrating the Castlevania franchise’s anniversary. It auctioned off 14 digital artworks from the series, generating over $162,000 in sales.
Still, the gaming giant is only one in the growing list of big-name game publishers that have expressed their interest in expanding their Web3 offerings by acquiring new talent.
Traditional gaming companies that have jumped ship into NFTs have been met with criticisms, mainly due to environmental concerns. The proof-of-work mining process used to mint NFTs leads to an extremely high carbon footprint. Nevertheless, with Ethereum’s transition to a proof-of-stake industry standard, such shouldn’t be a cause of concern anymore.
Others believed these game publishers were moving into the NFT space as a money grab. Some companies that were met with backlash include Square Enix, Ubisoft, and Sega.
Earlier this year, Ubisoft’s Quartz platform came under fire. However, last month, its CEO, Yves Guillemot, quickly tapered down the company’s enthusiasm for NFTs by saying it was only in “research mode” all along.
Konami’s interest in the Web3 space and NFTs, particularly, is surprising, considering NFT sales have drastically decreased in 2022 due to the bear market. In recent months, NFT sales on OpenSea, the world’s largest NFT marketplace, plummeted as much as 99% from its record highs of over $400 million at the beginning of this year.
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