On January 31, Team17 announced a suite of NFTs based on the popular Worms series. A classic turn-based strategy game known for its hectic multiplayer elements, Worms dominated the late 90s with a slew of staple releases. With more than a dozen releases spanning two-and-a-half decades, the series continues to this day with 2020’s Worms Rumble standing as its most current entry.

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A partnership between Team17 and Reality Gaming Group, the publisher initially announced a collection of limited edition computer-generated artworks based on the Worms property. An example of such is available on Metaworms.com, an apparent hub for all things Worms NFTs. A spinning, glitter-caked 3D model of a holy hand grenade-wielding worm named Colonel, these offerings differ drastically from the suites of AI-generated 2D images with which most NFT-savvy individuals are familiar. This could be one of many recent examples proving correct Ubisoft head Yves Guillemot’s assertion that NFTs are here to stay.

The publisher was also eager to emphasize the eco-friendly steps being taken ahead of the launch of the Worms NFT line. Blockchain technology typically demands resource-intensive computing processes and is often seen as unsustainable. The Worms NFTs, however, are said to operate on a more energy-efficient “side chain” of the Ethereum network used by the Reality Gaming Group.

As was the case following the introduction of Ubisoft’s Quartz initiative, backlash regarding Team17’s announcement was immediate and fairly fierce. The publisher subsequently clarified a few unknowns about the NFT collection’s launch, underlining the fact that it is merely licensing the property to a third-party company and making it known that it has no plans to implement NFTs or blockchain transactions into any of its games.

Team17 isn’t the only publisher taking said approach to NFTs; Japanese publisher Konami recently auctioned off a series of NFTs based on the Castlevania series, and Atari has announced plans to unite NFTs with lootbox mechanics to commemorate its 50th anniversary.

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Source: MetaWorms, Eurogamer