GameStop Took Down An NFT Based On A 9/11 Victim
GameStop's NFT marketplace took down an NFT that clearly resembles the harrowing '9/11 Falling Man,' who hurled himself out of the World Trade Center to escape the burning building.
The tasteless NFT, created by an artist known as Jules, features the GameStop astronaut mascot falling with the same pose and background as that of the 9/11 victim who has not been officially identified.
The NFT was up on GameStop's fledgling market place for two weeks and was minted 25 times on July 12, originally on sale for $991 before dropping down to $46, Gizmodo reported.
GameStop said the NFT had been taken out 'entirely' from the marketplace and had revoked the artist's ability to mint any future NFTs.
'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,' GameStop said in response to the outcry over the NFT.
The NFT, created by artist Jules, features the GameStop astronaut mascot (left) falling with the same pose and background as that of the 9/11 victim (right
It was on sale for two weeks, originally going for $991 (above) before dropping to $46, as GameStop takes a 2.25 percent cut from each NFT sale
GameStop said the NFT had been taken out 'entirely' from the marketplace and had revoked the artist's ability to mint any future NFTs
According to grabs of the marketplace, the NFT had been sold at least 17 times. It was not immediately clear how many sold for the $991 and how many for $46.
GameStop takes a 2.25 percent cut from each NFT sale.
The company did not immediately reply to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
The fact that the NFT was up for so long had caused an uproar online, with many calling out GameStop for hitting 'rock bottom' as it profited from the NFT.
One Twitter user with the handle TaxBeast wrote: 'I have often thought about the process of how a corporation decides to join the social media trend of making meme's of anything, including national tragedies, and now we have officially hit rock bottom with an NFT of 9/11 from GameStop.'
Many went on social media to call out the offensive NFT and condemn GameStop for selling it
Another Twitter user with the handle The Spiffing Brit also condemned any profiting from the tragic image, tweeting: 'If this is what your company needs to do to stay afloat then sincerely f*** your company.'
A Twitter user with the handle Foxxy Steve said he thought the whole thing was a joke and couldn't believe the NFT was actually up for sale on the market place.
'Was told about the 9/11 falling man NFT GameStop was putting out and thought it was a joke,' he wrote. 'It appears to be real. What a disgusting company.'
Rob Parks, another Twitter user, said he simply had no words over the jarring decision to print the NFT, a sentiment echoed by many online.
'GameStop is selling an NFT of a man who jumped from one of the towers on 9/11. I have no words,' he tweeted.