Pokémon is looking for a NFT and metaverse expert

A new job posting triggers alarms among the community

The words Web 3, blockchain technologies, NFT, and metaverse are one of the best ways at the moment to focus the ire of the gaming community on yourself as a company in the industry – all of these words also show up in a new job listing posted by The Pokémon Company for the role as a Corporate Development Principal for its offices in Bellevue, Washington.

The Corporate Development Principal at The Pokémon Company will be in charge of advising the executive team on its corporate strategy as well liaising with internal and external partners. Looking for someone with at least 12 years of experience, the company specifies that candidates should also bring “deep knowledge and understanding of Web 3, including blockchain technologies and NFT, and/or metaverse.” Applicants should also be “deeply connected to a network of investors and entrepreneurs in the technology sectors above (Web3 and metaverse).”

This doesn’t mean that The Pokémon Company is already working on products like NFT games, but certainly signifies an interest in the field – such a signal is already enough for some Pokémon fans to ring the alarm bells.

NFTs are a kind of digital token that are stored on a blockchain, which is a web technology that stores a record of transactions across a number of devices. While beneficial in certain sectors, these technologies have been frowned upon in the gaming community for their lack of consumer benefit and their great impact on the environment. NFT games are also heavily associated with scam attempts, such as the recent row around influencer Logan Paul’s NFT game.

Fellow Japanese gaming giant Square Enix has been on the NFT trip for some years now, hoping to launch its first blockchain games “in FY2024/3 and thereafter”, according to a recent financial briefing. Another big gaming company, Ubisoft, already attempted to launch NFT games, but was met with huge backlash from the video games community.

However, The Pokémon Company itself has previously taken a stand against NFTs, going so far as to sue an Australian NFT game earlier this year for its use of Pokemon characters and creatures. In the filing of the case, a lawyer for the company clearly stated: “The Pokémon Company and Nintendo had made a deliberate decision not to launch any Pokémon NFTs.”

If The Pokémon Company decides to get into the NFT segment after all, there is always this part of the job description that can still turn things around: “Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.“