Less than two weeks after its soft launch, GameStop’s NFT marketplace is already stirring up controversy. Among the NFTs listed on the platform is an artwork called “Falling Man” that was spotted by Web3 is Going Great. Make no mistake, the NFT refers to 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 11, 2001. Of the 2,753 people who died inside the World Trade Center and its surroundings that day, it is estimated that at least 100 people fell to their deaths while the towers were still standing.
“This probably fell from the MIR station,” reads the NFT’s description, referring to Russia’s derelict space station. The creator of the artwork is selling two different versions of “Falling Man,” with the cheapest at 0.65 Ethereum or about $990. As Web3 Going Great points out, GameStop operates a curated NFT marketplace. Artists must apply and go through a verification process before they can put their listings up for sale. The company is down 2.25 percent on sales. GameStop did not immediately respond to Engadget’s request for comment.
Art theft is a major issue in the NFT space. On platforms like OpenSea, where people can mint tokens for free, there is fake and plagiarized content. While you could argue that “Falling Man” does not fall into these categories and that artists should be free to reference works and tragedies of the past, it is also true that this NFT trivializes the fate of the Falling Man, reducing its final moments to something be sold for profit.
Update 07/24/22 09:00 ET: The Falling Man NFT is no longer listed at GameStop. The company has yet to return Engadget’s request for comment or tweet about the recall. However, in a direct message to one person, the company said it was taking action against the creator of the NFT. “This NFT will be completely removed from our market,” the company said. “This user has already had the ability to coin removed from their account and we have been in direct contact with the creator regarding these actions.”