Image via Sega

The home of Sonic the Hedgehog might be hopping aboard the NFT hype train afterward all. Sega has recently registered a trademark for its own NFT in Japan despite hesitation and criticism from fans.

Every bit reported by VGC, the Japan Patent Function published the new trademark filing on Friday that comes with a logo for "Sega NFT." Sega applied for the trademark of its ain make-named NFT in late December 2022.

In April 2022, Sega shared on Twitter that it was collaborating with double jump .tokyo to start selling NFTs later this summertime, prompting intense criticism from fans for participating in the exercise that inflicts impairment to the already fragile environs. So last week, CEO Haruki Satomi addressed the issue in a recent management coming together, maxim Sega has been listening to fans' concerns and will abandon plans to create NFTs if they are seen equally nothing more than a "uncomplicated money-making scheme." At that time, cipher had been decided.

"In terms of NFT, we would like to try out various experiments and we have already started many dissimilar studies and considerations but nothing is decided at this point regarding play-to-earn," he said. "There have been many announcements most this already including overseas but there are users who show negative reactions at this signal."

Sega's trademark registration for its NFTs coming to light today tells a different story. The filing published past Japan implies that it has walked back on its hesitation to sell NFTs within its games and decided to join Ubisoft, Square Enix, and even The Last Of Us vox actor Troy Bakery on the controversial practice.

If you think Sega getting its hands dirty with NFTs goes confronting the Sonic franchise'south themes of environmentalism, you may be right. Given what we know near his feelings on the topic, the Blue Mistiness will exist downright furious if NFTs are implemented into Sonic Frontiers come November.