GameStop’s NFT trading platform, GameStop NFT Marketplace, is facing backlash after an NFT was minted by an approved creator depicting the infamous falling man photograph taken by the Associated Press during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The image replaces the 9/11 victim with an astronaut, which is the mascot of the GameStop NFT Marketplace, and was captioned, "This one probably fell from the MIR station."
GameStop has taken down the NFT from its marketplace, but it still exists on other platforms. There were 25 versions minted, and multiple were sold, with the price going as high as 0.165 ETH or $265. At time of writing, the price on a different platform is 0.029 ETH or $47.
GameStop NFT Marketplace is currently in beta, and customers are only allowed to buy NFTs minted by an approved group of creators. This means that the troubling NFT was created by a GameStop vetted creator, which is bad optics for a brand that has had difficulty updating itself into the modern economy.
This creator, who goes by Jules, has had their minting ability terminated, but that doesn’t make up for the fact that their creation of a blatantly ignorant gloss over of one of this nation’s greatest tragedies has caused a PR disaster for GameStop. Considering this incident, as well as the current crypto trends, things are not looking good for the GameStop NFT Marketplace, and GameStop’s brand overhaul into the 2020s.
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