Abstract
ABSTRACT This study observes through qualitative textual analysis the Discord community of Virtually Human Studio’s play-to-earn (P2E), blockchain-based videogame ‘ZED Run’ to better understand the nature of non-fungible token (NFT) applications and their users. This study emphasizes gaming and gambling opportunities related to NFTs and blockchain technology which suggest shifts towards increased risk-taking and a blurring of financial and entertainment contexts. In ZED Run, users’ interactions with designed systems, as well as interest in improving one’s understanding of the application and its associated marketplace, is motivated by interest in financial reward. This work argues this close relationship of financial interests to gaming and gambling environments risks fostering an increasingly gamified approach to financial life. Ultimately, ZED Run represents the application of media affordances to an acceleration of risk-taking and an adoption of alternative financial assets that challenge governmental authority while placing users at greater personal and financial risk.
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