Yuga Labs, the team behind CryptoPunks, recently launched a new NFT collection that received significant backlash and was deemed a failure.
The new collection, titled Super Punk World, consists of 500 three-dimensional NFTs that aim to challenge traditional notions of race and gender. Created by artist Nina Abney, these digital figures blend her unique artistic style with a nod to early web3 projects like CryptoPunks. Additionally, they address important social issues such as racism and sexism.
Co-founder Greg Solano expressed the team’s intention to collaborate with renowned artists to bridge the gap between web3 and traditional art.
Originally, an auction was planned to sell tokens from the Super Punk World collection, with prices decreasing over time until a purchase was made. However, due to community criticism, Yuga Labs changed course.
Despite their lofty goals, the collection faced backlash from the crypto community. Some users criticized the art style and concept, accusing Abney of promoting division based on race and gender.
One user even claimed that Yuga Labs had “killed” the essence of CryptoPunks with this new collection. Leonidas, developer of the Ordinals protocol, suggested that the sole motive behind the release was financial gain.
In response to the negative feedback, Solano announced that Yuga Labs would discontinue any involvement with CryptoPunks and shift focus to decentralized blockchain projects. The Super Punk World NFTs would be distributed through an airdrop to supporters of Abney’s work.
Abney confirmed these plans and expressed gratitude towards Yuga Labs, while also condemning the attacks from the crypto community.
CryptoPunks, created by Larva Labs in 2017, was one of the pioneering NFT collections that gained widespread popularity. Yuga Labs later acquired the intellectual property rights to CryptoPunks and Meebits, cementing their position in the NFT market.
As the industry continues to evolve, it remains to be seen what the future holds for NFTs and the broader market.