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YouTube’s CEO hints at NFT integration, while its head of gaming leaves for Polygon
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Some pretty eye-opening crypto-related news has emerged from social media behemoth YouTube over the past 24 hours or so, including possible NFT integration and some interesting departures.
In a letter published on January 25, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki revealed the company is looking into adding NFT features as a potential avenue for content creators to earn additional revenue.
“We’re always focused on expanding the YouTube ecosystem to help creators capitalize on emerging technologies,” said Wojcicki, “including things like NFTs, while continuing to strengthen and enhance the experiences creators and fans have on YouTube.”
The YouTube boss also explained that the online video-sharing titan closely follows the Web3 (a term sometimes broadly used for crypto) space as a “source of inspiration”.
YouTube now looking at ways to potentially implement NFTs. Literally all the big social media platforms are shifting towards NFTs now, there’s no stopping Web 3.
— 🏝nathanhead.eth🏝 (@NathanHeadPhoto) January 25, 2022
The potential YouTube move would mark a sharp 180-degree turn for a company that’s historically been pretty heavy-handed with its censoring of crypto content from some big “influencers” in the space, such as Bitboy, Ivan on Tech, Altcoin Daily, Tone Vays and various others.
The new direction would see the platform follow in the footsteps of similar recent NFT-embracing moves from Twitter and Meta (Facebook and Instagram).
YouTube head of gaming quits for Polygon role
Meanwhile, whatever new directions YouTube might be taking into the world of crypto and NFTs, it will have to do it without at least two departing executives who have strong interest in Web3.
Of these career shifts, the most attention-capturing has come from the Google-owned company’s former head of gaming Ryan Watt, who will be joining the crypto company Polygon Studios as its new CEO.
Polygon (MATIC) is one of the crypto industry’s leading “layer 2” scaling technology solutions, that is actually a proof-of-stake sidechain partly created to help bring mass adoption to the Ethereum network.
It is bittersweet news to share that I am leaving @YouTube.
I have loved every minute of my time here, but it is time for my next endeavor.
I am elated to announce that I will be joining @0xPolygon ($MATIC) as their CEO of Polygon Studios.
Thank you for the memories! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/VhQxpqDbFO
— Ryan Wyatt – fwiz.eth 💜 (@Fwiz) January 25, 2022
Wyatt, who has been in the YouTube role since 2014, mentioned being “fascinated by blockchain app development” as a reason for the departure, adding that he is “beyond thrilled to enter the Web3 space.”
The other big YouTube departure announced this week is the platform’s senior director of creator partnerships Jamie Byrne, who revealed in a Tuesday tweet that he’ll be taking up a leading role with an NFT platform called Bright Moments.
More than anything, I'll miss the folks I worked so closely with over the years and in particular the teams and individuals I have managed or mentored in some way – I hope that I had as much of a positive impact on you as you have had on me – thank you and I'll miss you!
— jamiebyrne.eth (@jamiebyrne) January 25, 2022
