The Pokémon Company International has posted a new job listing looking for someone with blockchain, NFT and metaverse experience, among other skills.
The listing describes, for the Director of Corporate Development, an “instrumental role” in the Office of the President and Corporate Development.
This office has a number of responsibilities, one of which includes advising The Pokémon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara and the executive leadership team on the company’s long-term strategic direction.
Duties of the role include “leading the identification, evaluation and implementation of investments, strategic projects and partnerships” to support the company’s long-term growth, and “monitoring and evaluating technology, market players and trends in gaming, media and entertainment”.
Under the heading “What You’ll Bring,” the job listing states that the preferred candidate has, among other things, “a deep knowledge and understanding of Web 3, including blockchain, NFT, and/or metaverse technologies.”
He also adds that they should be “closely connected to a network of investors and entrepreneurs in the aforementioned technology sectors (Web3 and metaverse)”.
NFTs are unique, non-fungible units of data stored on a blockchain (a form of digital ledger), which effectively allows users to buy and sell digital products such as in-game items or artwork.
While this in no way confirms that The Pokémon Company plans to launch a series of Pokémon NFTs or a new Pokémon game that uses the blockchain, it does at least indicate that the company is looking into the technology.
The listing also states that the successful applicant will have “excellent business sense and the ability to relate the importance of potential partners or technologies to existing Pokémon assets.”
Game publishers that have launched NFT projects or are considering doing so include Square Enix, Ubisoft, Konami, and Sega.
In November, Square Enix announced Symbiogenesis, a “new franchise” built around NFTs described as “the first digital collectible art project designed from the ground up for Web3 fans”.
