Captainz, the premier collection of Memeland, minted 9,999 NFTs on January 4, 2023, for 1.069 ETH each. Now, after months of anticipation, Memeland’s Captainz art has been revealed.
What’s notable about the reveal is the customization, namely the freedom for holders to choose their NFT’s gender, skin type, and other traits. All of these features were geared towards allowing holders to contribute to the Memeland ecosystem as owners, not just customers. Other anticipated massive benefits for Captainz NFTs include the company’s forthcoming $MEME token and its rumored Treasure Islandz experience.
The reveal has revoked a diverse array of responses, with some praising the new unprecedented control over their digital identities and others offering criticism of the artwork itself.
A range of reactions
After the July 2 art reveal, users flocked to Twitter to share their opinions on the PFPs. Some users alluded to the designs being derivative and low-quality, calling them “Fiverr art” or comparing them to Azuki’s Elementals collection, which also received criticism for its mint. However, many were unaware that the NFT art functions as a base, capable of accommodating additional elements.
Other users called the project racist, citing a Black avatar named Kong, whose name is reminiscent of King Kong. However, Ray Chan, the CEO of 9GAG, Memaland’s parent company, explained that the name is an homage to CyberKongz NFTs.
Despite the loud critics, others found a far different meaning in the Captainz art reveal. Among the positive reactions, some touted the customizable PFP abilities as one of the most revolutionary parts of the collection. Holders can personalize their avatars on everything from skin type, hair, clothing, and more.
Captainz also benefits from Memeland’s ERC-6551 protocol, which helps the ecosystem as a whole. ERC-6551 allows NFTs to have their own wallets, which enables them to hold a range of assets, including other NFTs.
If Memeland brings Captainz into the gaming world, this protocol permits all character-related items, such as weapons, clothing, and in-game currency, to be owned by the NFT itself. This consolidates ownership, simplifies trading, and allows associated items to transfer together in a single transaction.
In those ways, ERC-6551 and Captainz might propel NFTs to new horizons. The Captainz customizable NFTs symbolize the evolving meaning of owning a digital identity, a shift in philosophy that supporters argue outweighs the art’s quality.
Moreover, Memeland offers a robust bug bounty program through Captainz that both rewards and encourages active participation from the community.
In accordance with the varied responses, there is less than one percent of Captainz listed for sale at the time of this writing; conversely, the floor price has dropped off its recent highs of around 8 ETH to about 5.5 ETH. Still, Chan is optimistic, calling the reveal “a step towards our goal to build the greatest community company.”
