Months ago, Kickstarter made an announcement that spooked people so severely that some big names left.
The announcement? The crowdfunding platform wanted to decentralise its code and go Blockchain.
The concerns? People quickly, and not incorrectly, connected Blockchains to cryptocurrencies and even the increasingly worrying world of NFTs.
The catch? In their announcement, Kickstarter hadn’t said a word about NFTs or cryptocurrencies, and while the technologies are connected, they’re not the same.
And then Kickstarter said nothing. For months.
That changed this week with a post from the crowdfunding superstar called “We Won’t Make Changes to Kickstarter Without You“. In it, they argue that they’ll test, stick to limiting their environmental impact, make sure the new company running the platform is a Public Benefit Corporation and set up an advisory council.
Previously, a Blockchain partner called Celo had been mentioned. Celo says it’s carbon-negative and, if it is, it does that the worst possible way; through offsetting and carbon credits, but at least it does it. Celo isn’t mentioned at all this time.
Dicebreaker and Chase Carter have a great write-up with extra insight. The gaming site talked to Kickstarter’s senior director of communications, Kate Bernyk, and pushed the whole NFT question harder.
Kate said;
But to be very clear: we will never require our users to use crypto currency to launch or back a project, and we have no plans to allow NFTs on the platform at this time.”
As you’d expect, Dicebreaker that “at this time” tagged on the end. In fairness to Kate, she can hardly predict future management decisions and the idea of things that prove digital ownership isn’t wrong (it’s the current set-up, use, and very ethos of the current NFT wave that’s problematic).
Chaosium has said “no to NFTs” recently, after being a somewhat early mover, Gamefound, Indiegogo, Itch and DriveThruRPG are all against NFTs too.
Itch even said;
NFTs are a scam. If you think they are legitimately useful for anything other than the exploitation of creators, financial scams, and the destruction of the planet the we ask that please reevaluate your life choices.
But, as noted, NFTs are not Blockchain, and Blockchain is not NFT. Kickstarter seems keen to push on with Blockchain, to look at a way to use them to break financial centralisations in all its forms.
As for cryptos? In the same comment from Kate, they were able to be more confident of the future and said “Never” to cryptos as a requirement for involvement.
Image credit: Javier Miranda.
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