Less than two weeks into its soft launch, GameStop’s NFT marketplace is already courting controversy. Among the NFTs listed on the platform is an artwork called “Falling Man” that was spotted by Web3 is Going Great. There’s no mistaking it, the NFT references one of the most iconic photos of the early 21st century. “The Falling Man” is part of a series of images captured by Associated Press photojournalist Richard Drew on the morning of September 11th, 2001. Of the 2,753 people who died inside the World Trade Center and surrounding area that day, it’s estimated that at least 100 individuals fell to their death while the towers were still standing.
“This one probably fell from the MIR station,” says the NFT’s description, referencing Russia’s decommissioned space station. The artwork’s creator is selling two different versions of “Falling Man,” with the cheapest listed at 0.65 Ethereum or about $990. As Web3 is Going Great points out, GameStop operates a curated NFT marketplace. Artists must apply and pass a vetting process before they can list their tokens for sale. The company takes a 2.25 percent cut of sales. GameStop did not immediately respond to Engadget’s comment request.
GameStop's NFT platform is curated, meaning artists have to apply before they can list NFTs there.
The cheapest edition of this NFT is currently selling for 0.65 ETH (
$990). GameStop takes a 2.25% cut.
— web3 is going just great (@web3isgreat) July 23, 2022
Artistic theft is a major issue in the NFT space. On platforms like OpenSea where people can mint tokens for free, fake and plagiarized content abounds. While you could make the argument that “Falling Man” doesn’t fall into those categories and that artists should be free to reference past works and tragedies, it’s also true that this NFT trivializes the falling man’s fate, reducing his final moments into something to be sold for a profit.
Update 07/24/22 9:00AM ET: The Falling Man NFT is no longer listed on GameStop's marketplace. The company has yet to return Engadget's request for comment or tweet about the takedown. However, in a direct message to one individual, the company said it was taking action against the creator of the NFT. "This NFT will be removed from our marketplace entirely," the company said. "This user has already had their minting ability removed from their account, and we have already been in direct contact with the creator about these actions."
Following 'Stranger Things' season 5, the Netflix original series by the Duffer Brothers will live on. Here's all we know about the 'Stranger Things' spinoff series coming in the future.
Robyn Griggs, known for her roles on soap operas Another World and One Life to Live, has died. She was 49. The actress’ passing was announced on her Facebook page Saturday. She had been battling cervical cancer and was open about her health struggles on social media, with Griggs posting last month that she had been diagnosed […]
Licensed therapist Georgia Dow explores how the depiction of OCD and mental illness stacks up against real life in 'Better Caul Saul.'
It's getting hot in here.View Entire Post ›
Tyrion had a lot of nerve saying Bran had the best story in front of Arya and Sansa.View Entire Post ›
Eric Lloyd was just 8 years old when he played Charlie Calvin in 'The Santa Clause' when it first came out in 1994. Here's what he's up to now.
Produced by the band with associate producer Glyn Johns, ‘Who's Next’ is widely regarded as one of their finest pieces of work.
Uhhh, that's not the Rachel Green I know…View Entire Post ›
The shelter the breakout star was adopted from assures fans that she is "loving her new life."
"I’m kind of epic."View Entire Post ›
Rhea Seehorn and Bob Odenkirk do career-best work in a boldly disturbing, downbeat aftermath.
Somebody get him his Grammy.
Uma Pemmaraju began working with Fox News in 1996, anchoring the network's early shows including "Fox News Now" and "Fox on Trends."
James DevaneyNicki Minaj has had a really, really hard few weeks. No, I’m not talking about her former assistant’s accusations that Minaj had committed tax fraud, and that her husband, Kenneth Petty, was continuing a well-documented pattern of abuse by harassing her female staff members. I’m talking about the daunting, terrifying, and formidable undertaking of having to rename her new single.“What should the name of #FreakyGirl be y’all? Yep we have to change it,” she tweeted in the sweltering f
The Compton rapper even references Marshall Mathers' daughter on the 'Drillmatic: Heart vs. Mind' track.
For Quentin Tarantino, "Dunkirk" and "The Social Network" are the top movies of the 2010s.
Burak Cingi/Getty ImagesAgainst all odds, Megan Thee Stallion is readying herself for a new phase. After a messy two-year legal battle with her current record label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, the Houston rapper could soon be emancipated from what she considers an “unconscionable” contract, freeing her up to sign with a major label more suited for her level of stardom—possibly Roc Nation, with whom she already has a management deal.This all depends on whether her latest lawsuit against 1501—d
Most people probably never even heard of the metaverse before Mark Zuckerberg decided to change Facebook's name to Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) and go all-in on alternate reality. CEO Bernard Kim told shareholders Hyperconnect is not working out as planned, and "given uncertainty about the ultimate contours of the metaverse and what will or won't work … I've instructed the Hyperconnect team to iterate but not invest heavily in metaverse at this time."
"I think that a movie with girls running around in bikinis could be a different version than it was," Bosworth said, "certainly in the early 2000s."
"I hope that people understand that in order for characters to grow, they need to be flawed in the beginning."View Entire Post ›