In another case of not getting your hopes up too much on teased video game projects, many fans of the action RPG franchise Parasite Eve thought that Square Enix were imminently going to announced a new chapter in the series. Unfortunately this project, dubbed SYMBIOGENESIS, has instead been announced as a “NFT Collectible Art Project” that is scheduled to release in the first half of 2023 – with a style similar to but not an instalment of the iconic 90s franchise.
This is not the first attempt by Square Enix or the video game industry as a whole taking advantage of this rather controversial format, with the past from other studios being littered with failures, cancellations, proof of works that have gone nowhere, and more than a few “rug pulls” which has seen collectors be out hundreds or thousands of dollars and left with nothing more than a link to an image.
However the reception to the announcement of SYMBIOGENESIS has been split, with posts on Twitter in response to the announcement pretty much boiling down to what camp you are in around NFTs. However to me, it is a shame, given the concept behind the IP sounds really interesting, but not while it runs the risk of being simply another short-term profit-building opportunity for a select community of players. Still, as they have committed to this route for now, I will be interested to see whether SYMBIOGENESIS serves as a case study for the positive or negative impacts of NFTs in an actual finalised product – or whether the NFT market this year dropping in value will see it not gain much traction at all.
According to Square Enix in a formal media release:
‘SYMBIOGENESIS’ is brand-new entertainment content set in a self-contained world where a wide cast of characters symbiosis, all of which can be collected as digital art; an interactive story and a dedicated community. The art can be used for social media profile pictures (PFP) and as a character in a story that takes place in an alternate world where the player can ’untangle’ a mystery by completing missions that revolve around questions of the monopolization and distribution of resources. With each strategic move players make, more of the story unfolds.
Sales of ‘SYMBIOGENESIS’ NFT collectible art and a free browser service are slated to launch in spring 2023. The project’s official Twitter account has been providing global NFT art collectors information since November 3, 2022.
