Indie videogame and tabletop RPG storefront Itch.io used its Twitter account to condemn the use of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) this weekend. “NFTs are a scam”, the tweets began, with Itch.io arguing that the use of NFTs leads to “the exploitation of creators, financial scams, and the destruction of the planet”.
The Twitter thread went on to condemn NFTs further, claiming companies who endorse NFTs “only care about their own profit and the opportunity for wealth above anyone else”. Itch.io has placed limitations on who can reply to the tweets, but several thousand Twitter users have used the ‘quote tweet’ feature to share their support of – or opposition to – Itch.io’s opinion.
The Twitter account doesn’t have a clearly named author or authors, so it’s unclear exactly who at Itch.io shared the impassioned tweets. However, Itch.io founder Leaf Corcoran has appeared to show indirect support by retweeting the original tweets and engaging in NFT-related debate on his personal account, including comparing NFTs to “the beanie baby bubble” – an investment fad from the 1990s.
A few have asked about our stance on NFTs:
NFTs are a scam. If you think they are legitimately useful for anything other than the exploitation of creators, financial scams, and the destruction of the planet the we ask that please reevaluate your life choices.
Peace ✌️
— itch.io (@itchio) February 6, 2022
Itch.io isn’t the only company in the tabletop gaming space taking a stance on these emerging digital technologies. In December 2021, popular crowdfunding site Kickstarter also faced some ire from users when it announced it would be integrating blockchain technology into its services.
Various arguments for and against NFTs are currently circulating on the internet. Many, like Itch.io, have argued that NFTs create a home for scammers and thieves as well as a large carbon footprint. Alternatively, NFT proponents have argued that NFTs can provide a unique stream of income and additional autonomy to creators looking to distribute their work in a non-traditional way.
There’s more on Kickstarter than just controversy: if you’d like your fights to be a little more fuzzy and a little less fungible, check out Hand to Hand Wombat’s Kickstarter launch. There’s more on the power of crowdfunding here – check out this Marvel board game that raised over $9M.