Yuga Labs, the owner of the popular CryptoPunks NFT collection, has scrapped plans for a new NFT series titled “Super Punk World” following criticism from the CryptoPunks community.
Super Punk World, unveiled on May 20, featured 500 3D sculptures created by artist Nina Abney that challenged traditional notions of race and gender. The artwork was intended to pay homage to CryptoPunks’ origins but was met with a wave of negativity.
Collectors criticized the art style, the idea of altering the iconic CryptoPunks project, and the focus on race and gender, accusing Yuga Labs of being “woke.” On social media, the majority of comments on the announcement post were negative.
In response to the backlash, Yuga Labs CEO Greg Solano explained their vision of collaborating with artists to bridge the gap between Web3 and traditional art. However, they also announced a significant shift in direction.
Yuga Labs will no longer be involved in developing the CryptoPunks project. Instead, they will focus on preserving the existing collection on the blockchain and assisting museums and institutions in acquiring CryptoPunk NFTs for educational purposes.
The “Super Punk World” NFTs will now only be available to holders of Nina Abney’s original NFT collection, “Super Cool World.”
