Recently, EA Sports partnered with Nike to introduce non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to EA’s FIFA and Madden titles. EA Sports and Nike will launch the digital gear on Nike’s community-based, .SWOOSH, Web3 platform. The partnership between both companies is a milestone in the general push to bridge the video gaming sector with blockchain technology. When EA Sports fully integrates Nike-labeled gear, FIFA and Madden players will be able to access unique items in the games, including new jerseys, stadiums, and arenas.
Benefits of NFT and Gaming Integration
There are several benefits players can enjoy from the EA Sports and Nike collaboration as NFTs find use in video games. Some of the most likely include:
- Investment: Introducing NFTs and other digital collectibles to popular game titles enables players to invest some of their funds in items that could score real-world value. Even if these items cannot be transferred outside the game, their in-game value can increase enough for owners to make money.
- Ownership: Combining NFTs and gaming allows users to fully own collectible items and prove their authenticity when necessary. This way, each player can hold or trade an acquired item without interference from EA Sports or Nike.
- Unique Experience: According to an official announcement from Nike, the partnership between both companies will create “new immersive experiences” for users. Nike also stated that players would enjoy other benefits, including “new levels of customization.” Furthermore, Nike and EA Sports want players to express their creativity through unique virtual creations. This could help players gain some sense of belonging in the FIFA and Madden communities while using their unique items to command attention or set themselves apart from the crowd.
- Designer Support: Creators that design unique items for .SWOOSH can profit from their hard work by selling their creations or licensing them for public access. The integration will attract contributions from designers and other creatives, whether or not they are gamers.
The Future of NFTs in Gaming and Entertainment
NFTs have seen a lot of success in many different sectors. For instance, although they are more popular with art, NFTs have seen some use in music, as music NFTs allow artists to directly earn from representations of their concert experiences, concert tickets, or the actual music. A similar advantage of using blockchain is present in the iGaming sector, where any player can find a new Bitcoin casino to play games using virtual avatars, unique accessories, and digital artifacts. In the same way, NFTs can significantly shape the future of video games.
The EA Sports and Nike partnership will likely build a new community of gamers and blockchain enthusiasts. As this community grows, the gaming and blockchain industries will welcome new collaborations as companies expect to try to contribute to both sectors. In the future, popular games published by well-known developers could introduce collectibles and non-fungible tokens from diverse sources, and expose the video game sector to investments from non-gaming domains.
Want to talk sports and/or games with the fastest-growing community in gaming? Join the conversation by joining us on Discord, and check out our Twitter and Facebook pages as well as our growing YouTube Channel!