Square Enix has unveiled a set of NFT trading cards to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy 7.
Released on March 31, the Final Fantasy 7 Anniversary Art Museum Digital Card Plus series contains 207 cards. Featuring beloved characters and scenes from the original Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and the extended Final Fantasy 7 continuity, each pack contains six physical cards and one digital card redeemable for an NFT (via VGC (opens in a new tab) )) . The product will cost you 440 yen, which works out to around €3,30 / €2,68 / AUS €6,07
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are digital assets that are often seen through images that are claimed to be impossible to duplicate. NFT owners can trade assets with each other, often for real money.
This isn't Square Enix's first foray into NFT. The Japanese gaming giant recently released a trailer for the new Symbiogenesis RPG, which promises "unlocked NFT narrative entertainment" including a marketplace where players can trade their NFTs.
The NFT market has been controversial for its environmental impact (opens in a new tab) and the many scam and malware issues related to the storage and protection of these assets online. In fact, the environment surrounding NFT trading and manufacturing is turbulent enough that Valve has decided to ban games that engage in cryptocurrency trading, or NFTs. Given that NFTs suffer significant environmental damage when users trade them in a precarious and unregulated market, we advise against buying into the hype.
Do you hear the cries of the planet?
It's deeply ironic and quite sad that Cloud, Barrett, Tifa and co. are used as a vehicle for the distribution of NFTs. Final Fantasy 7 is a famous anti-capitalist and pro-environmental title, following the trials and tribulations of a group of eco-terrorists trying to save the planet from a megalomaniac would-be god and the greedy megacorporation that spawned him.
These tradables seem obviously at odds with the values and morality built into Final Fantasy 7.
The world of Final Fantasy 7 is, like ours, defined by a stark contrast between the haves and the have-nots. Fighting for the last group, it seems extremely unlikely that Cloud and co. he would be especially happy to learn that a large conglomerate is using his likenesses to produce and sell NFTs. At its core, Final Fantasy 7 is about resisting corporate greed and living sustainably with the world around us.
While there are efforts to produce more environmentally friendly NFTs, in their current state these tradable goods seem at odds with the values and morals built into Final Fantasy 7. It would seem that Square Enix has little understanding of the irony in what deep in history heart. from his Final Fantasy 7 NFT project. Using a group of anti-capitalist eco-terrorists to promote a collection of environmentally harmful products seems almost April Foolish in its bizarre incongruity. Unfortunately for us, this year's April Fool's Day is over.