“Worst NFT Project Ever” Pixelmon Earns $70 Million USD

Over the past couple of months, we’ve seen plenty of successful NFT projects, including the ever-rising prices of Bored Apes, the launch of HAPEBEAST, the hype around Invisible Friends, and so on. But unfortunately, not all projects see the same success.

Of course, when purchasing an NFT there are plenty of things you need to take into account. Could the project be a scam? Will the reveal tank the project? It is difficult to be certain, but when Pixelmon first teased its launch, it generated plenty of buzz.

Tatsumaki. The Air Dragon. pic.twitter.com/RFt1kGVegW

— Pixelmon (@Pixelmon)

With a mint price of 3 ETH in its primary sale (the equivalent of $8,100 USD), it started off as an expensive project, with plenty of fans ready to invest in what was sold as an actual game. Once it was revealed, however, it quickly saw a decline.

Why? Well, because the project was the definition of over promise, under deliver.

So @Pixelmon raised over $70m at 3 ETH per mint just for them to reveal like this. I think it’s fair to say all the buyers were rugged.

Stop supporting cash grab NFT projects. pic.twitter.com/8VShQxNlgl

— zachxbt (@zachxbt)

According to the project’s creator, the funds generated will be used to develop the artwork. “The Pixelmon reveal was unacceptable. This is what our Pixelmon look like in-game. Our NFT art failed to reflect this,” he wrote on Twitter, adding, “Despite the fud I will not go anywhere. The goal hasn’t changed. The funds will still be used to build our game. I will see this project through.”

The project raised $70 million USD, but the NFTs that the buyers received didn’t reflect the original teasers of the project. Some are going so far as to describe it as “the worst NFT project ever,” and others are even saying that it is a complete scam.

The Pixelmon reveal was unacceptable. This is what our Pixelmon look like in-game. Our NFT art failed to reflect this.

Despite the fud I will not go anywhere. The goal hasn’t changed. The funds will still be used to build our game. I will see this project through. pic.twitter.com/ViFzyKhbqL

— Syber | Pixelmon (@Syberer)

But, there’s light at the end of the tunnel for some buyers. As the project has been roasted over the fire, an unlikely hero rose from the ashes – and his name is Kevin.

Picture a cross between a Minecraft character, a children’s drawing, and Salad Fingers, and that’s where you’ll find Kevin. He is a frog-looking creature, and when he was revealed, it was such a terrible NFT that it has instantly become part of history – and of course, it is also a meme.

Pixelmon had an art reveal so terrible, ‘Kevin’ is being labeled a historical NFT pic.twitter.com/A2ummGDypV

— ThreadGuy.eth 💫 (@DiscoverXnft)

If you’re laughing at people paying $8K for a silly pixelated image, you might need to take it back. Despite the floor price of the Pixelmon project hitting an almost embarrassing low of 0.44 ETH, lucky holders that minted a Kevin have been able to sell the now-memed NFT for over 8 ETH (around $24,000 USD) with some of them currently listed for 100 ETH.

Of course, Twitter has already been running wild with the memes making fun of those who invested in the project, because what else is there to do when plenty of people lose a lot of money?

Whether the NFT project is actually a scam or not is yet unclear, but it has been revealed that the team behind the project were hired on upwork. There’s still potential for redemption – but as of now, it looks like Kevin’s rise to fame is the only good thing to come out of Pixelmon thus far.

RIP #Pixelmon owners pic.twitter.com/O95C30eFbd

— Beyza (@Beyza_nft)

Welp, @Pixelmon just made over $70 million dollars and when reveal happened, this is what everyone got. pic.twitter.com/3v6euOIdkT

— Hustler (@0xHustler)

AHAHA I’M DYING ! @Pixelmon WTF ? pic.twitter.com/z94thtcgrh

— LaGuez.eth (@_LaGuez)

People who bought Pixelmon for 3 ETH when they could have just gone on upwork and hired the artists for $100.

Theses massive hype cycles for NFT projects can’t be good in the long run and the health of the ecosystem. pic.twitter.com/Qa65HZ0RJE

— richerd.eth ᵍᵐ (マ,マ) (@richerd)

@Pixelmon is a good lesson for NFT crowd in general not to ape in blindly on some good looking art from “in-game” graphics. My condolences if you aped in 3e Dutch Auction (so did I but I sold before it went to hell)

Here’s an ingame ss to brighten your Saturday.#nft #nftgames pic.twitter.com/4UX7jzJzYy

— Codyliciouz (@codyliciouz_eth)

You can’t make this up…

Pixelmon’s art team are actually ……. people hired on Upwork pic.twitter.com/QlLRqBM900

— Cobie (@cobie)

all the @Pixelmon #nft holders rn 💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/9q5gbUdz0v

— Ryan Clark (hacko) (@hackologist_)

Kevin has taken the NFT world by storm after being born out of the #Pixelmon disaster. Can’t wait for all the Kevin derivative projects. 😆 pic.twitter.com/4LzJGiut4s

— TheNFTdΞgen.eth (@TheNFTdegen_eth)

You’re in a club in the metaverse and this guy comes up and slaps your girls butt. What do you do? pic.twitter.com/iGGyd2XOM5

— greg (@greg16676935420)