Given any public blockchain is simply an open supply database with comparatively costly transaction charges and an attention-grabbing safety mannequin, it’s one thing of a shock that extra apps and video games haven’t been attempting out the know-how, at the very least by way of backend efficiencies.
Now perhaps that’s about to vary with the information that Nintendo seems to be utilizing Parasol Applied sciences in its Pokémon Dwelling app.
Pokémon Dwelling up to date its Privateness Phrases on twenty third April and these now embody Parasol within the English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian variations of the sport, however apparently not the Japanese, Korean and Chinese language variations.
Observe: ILCA Inc. is a Japanese studio which partnered with The Pokémon Firm to create their three way partnership The Pokémon Works.
Therefore it appears notable that Parasol is listed alongside two direct builders of Pokémon video games, not in paragraph (c) alongside service suppliers. If nothing else it suggests it’s holding the next stage of consumer information.
As for Parasol itself, it’s a US-based outfit, which has been constructing out its personal web3 gaming infrastructure since 2022 and which was acquired by Mysten Labs, the ex-Meta spinout – which operates the Sui blockchain – earlier in 2025.
It solely works on web3 tech – an end-to-end platform enabling recreation builders to implement functionalities corresponding to “in-game merchandise tokenization, marketplaces, and on-chain gameplay with out compromising recreation high quality”.
After all, integrating a blockchain gaming tech firm’s know-how isn’t the identical as launching NFTs in Pokémon GO. Equally, nonetheless, Nintendo integrating blockchain tech into one in all its key apps shouldn’t be ignored, even when it appears extremely unlikely it will likely be immediately exposing blockchain to its customers any time quickly.
A extra believable state of affairs can be it’s experimenting with blockchain within the background to raised handle asset safety between accounts. That is notably related by way of the way in which Pokémon Dwelling – the ecosystem’s cloud-based hub for managing digital property – permits gamers to present and commerce Pokémon characters and different recreation property.
Certainly, the information has additionally been positioned round a selected replace to Pokémon Dwelling, which introduces a brand new medal asset, which is barely out there for cellular customers, not for Swap – maybe a nod to its extremely experimental standing and first use in a decrease danger setting.
These medals are “digital souvenirs that may be claimed by visiting real-life locations with a connection to Pokémon or by collaborating in Pokémon occasions. These medals could be traded with different gamers or despatched to them as presents”, the blurb explains.
Like another Pokémon asset, these don’t possess any overt monetary worth however that’s to not say they received’t have any worth per se. As limited-edition property, individuals will need to acquire them, simply as in a wider sense all Pokémon characters are a part of a fancy in-game rarity ecosystem. That’s the purpose. Some Pokémon are actually uncommon and onerous to seek out.
And that’s why – regardless of EULAs – hundreds of thousands of {dollars} recurrently change fingers through gray markets buying and selling Pokémon, recreation property and full accounts.
Utilizing a blockchain within the background – or perhaps a forked permissioned model of Sui – to raised perceive, handle and management these casual economics makes full sense, even when that data isn’t uncovered to gamers.
So permitting gamers to commerce these limited-edition medals utilizing a brand new in-game Pokémon foreign money that’s offchain to gamers however onchain for Nintendo doesn’t appear to be completely out of the query – in different phrases, blockchain with out the crypto!
