Pokémon might be looking into NFTs and the Metaverse, and the community is not happy

The Pokémon Company International posted a job listing hinting at the license starting to create Pokémon non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and Metaverse products in the near future, sending the game’s community into high alert.

Fans expressed worry over social media as soon as it was spotted. “Dark times are ahead,” joked users on Twitter. “This would be the last straw,” wrote another.

If the company creates products on the blockchain in the future, it’ll undoubtedly result in mistrust from many fans and raise doubts, as previous blockchain initiatives did in the video games industry.

Related: Pokémon Professor reportedly banned for transphobic behavior, highlighting issues in Pokémon’s competitive scene

TPCi’s listing is offering a job for a Corporate Development Principal to manage Pokémon‘s brand outside Asia and encourage innovation.

Among the requirements, it mentions a “deep knowledge and understanding of Web 3, NFT and/or metaverse,” as well as a deep connection to a network of “investors and entrepreneurs” in those fields.

The listing hints at significant investment in NFT and metaverse, as it features a high-profile find and aims to prioritize “long-term gain over short-term/transactional gains.”

Pokémon NFTs emerged over a year ago —without the consent of the developer. Last December, the company took more legal action against a company for unauthorized use of the Pokémon IP for a NFT-themed mobile game. It also shut down multiple Chinese projects earlier, one of which had generated over $43.4 million in revenue.

NFTs and video games are still sparking heated debates in the gaming community. A few days ago, Square Enix canned CEO Yosuke Matsuda after he went under fire for mentioning AI, the cloud, and blockchain games as “medium-term business strategies” for the company at the start of the year.

Fans hoped the replacement was partially made to shift the focus away from NFT and metaverse, but it turns out the company is already working on the release of blockchain games in the future.

It’s unclear what will be the approach of The Pokémon Company. The company has yet to officially mention working on blockchain projects, similar to Nintendo.