This is the story of how an artist defended his creative rights after a developer exploited his work without consent.
Gun Mania was a late 2021 NFT play-to-earn The intent behind the project was to emerge as a frontrunner on the Binance Smart Chain, driven by a well-defined vision, mission, and strategic planning. It garnered significant attention and investment from eager gamers anticipating its release, yet it sorely missed a critical aspect of the NFT ecosystem—the originality of its visuals.
Art from a character designer based in the Middle East was unlawfully appropriated by the Gun Mania team. Minh Kieu Without his awareness, over 30 of his pieces, including character designs, were incorporated into an NFT game that attracted investor interest. Gun Mania’s website was largely built around pieces that Kieu originally created during his college years.
The artist's portfolio was pilfered from his ArtStation account. Kieu was made aware of Gun Mania only when a friend spotted his artwork featured in the promotional materials of the NFT game. In a chat with Metaverse Post, Kieu recounted the unsettling process of realizing his creations had been misused.
The NFT game tried to play the victim
Kieu and his friends began to raise awareness about the theft across social media. He reached out to Gun Mania directly, demanding the immediate withdrawal of his artwork.
In their response, Gun Mania claimed they acquired the artwork through Fiverr, mistakenly believing the seller was Kieu. They tried to present themselves as victims in this debacle, but their narrative fell flat.
Kieu was inaccurately listed as the copyright holder, indicating he had sold his art to the NFT game via Fiverr.
"If they indeed acquired the artwork from someone impersonating me on Fiverr, they should possess transaction proofs, such as an invoice or a signed copyright transfer. I requested evidence of their Fiverr transaction, but they failed to provide any proof,\" Kieu explained.
Next, the Gun Mania team attempted to convince Kieu to sell his copyright, suggesting they would compensate him for rights to his own art. Naturally, Kieu was reluctant to engage with a project that seems to scam artists or purchase art without verifying copyright ownership.
The project’s investors weren’t happy
Some investors from Gun Mania began sending Kieu private messages, holding him responsible for their financial losses as the project faced shutdown. Supporters of the game attempted to defend the art theft by arguing, \"People need jobs.\" The community surrounding Gun Mania even resorted to online harassment, blaming Kieu for their losses.
"The most frustrating aspect of P2E games is their perception as legitimate employment. For example, individuals connected to Gun Mania began directing angry messages at me. They seemed to view their involvement in the game as a job, and when it was being shut down, they lashed out at me, assigning the blame before ever asking me to collaborate on their NFT project,\" Kieu noted.
Kieu also pointed out significant flaws within Gun Mania, such as its erratic art style—a concerning indicator in any NFT initiative.
"There was a noticeable disparity in the art styles among the 24 characters in one collection compared to five others from a different set, plus two even further removed in style due to the time lapses in their creation. Such inconsistencies should raise alarms, as an art director is crucial for maintaining a cohesive artistic identity in a gaming company.\"
Taking the scam project down
By the time Kieu managed to address the situation, much of his artwork had been removed from the Guns Mania site; however, some remnants lingered on platforms like Reddit, Facebook, and YouTube, where gamers had reviewed the game intricately.
"The artwork holds sentimental value, symbolizing my artistic journey and development. It’s disheartening to see it monetized in a way that disregards my contribution,\" Kieu expressed. \"Unfortunately, I'm just one among many unfortunate stories like this.\"
Kieu sought assistance from his college, where he crafted the stolen works, but found little support, primarily due to the lack of copyright regulations surrounding NFTs.
To retaliate against Gun Mania and force the removal of his artwork, Kieu believed tarnishing their reputation was his best route. Given that the company allegedly operates from a location likely in the Middle East, U.S. legal avenues seemed ineffective.
"I consulted legal experts regarding U.S. copyright laws and the fundamental rights I hold as an artist. The moment I create, my work is copyrighted. I possess both the original files and timestamps as evidence of my ownership,\" Kieu said.
The artist is reluctant to use NFTs
"So far, NFTs seem to complicate issues more than they resolve them,\" Kieu remarked about his impressions of the NFT landscape.
While he acknowledges the potential benefits of blockchain technology, he recognizes that NFTs have created an environment rife with art theft. Artists now find themselves preoccupied with protecting their creations, a concern that didn't exist as prominently prior to the NFT boom.
"Before NFTs came along, I never faced the problem of art theft. Yet, now, they [Gun Mania] are profiting from my hard work. It’s incredibly disrespectful. I've not encountered situations like this before.\"
"I experienced insomnia upon discovering my art was stolen. It happened during finals week, and the mental strain was overwhelming. I wanted to concentrate on my academic assignments, yet I found myself entangled in the struggle to recover my artwork, monitoring every development—wondering when these individuals would relent and return my art,\" Kieu shared. \"And on top of it all, my emotional energy was depleted, my concentration was fractured; Gun Mania’s backers came after me on Twitter as if I were the one who torpedoed their livelihoods.\"
Artistic and blockchain firms are taking proactive measures to combat digital art theft
Recently, OpenSea, the leading NFT marketplace, has taken significant steps in addressing the ongoing challenge of NFT-related theft by incorporating advanced image recognition solutions and dedicated human oversight. systems In January, OpenSea eliminated a free minting feature that allowed the creation of up to 50 items at no cost, subsequently imposing restrictions on the number of NFTs each user can generate. This was a response to the alarming statistic that more than 80% of items created with this feature were found to be plagiarized, fake collections, or spam, as the company pointed out.
DeviantArt, a well-established community for artists, recently introduced 'DeviantArt Protect' for NFTs, a tool designed to alert artists if their work is misappropriated and listed for sale on an NFT platform. Nonetheless, the company acknowledged the complexity involved in eradicating stolen art—\"the tangled legal standing of copyright in NFTs remains a gray area and largely untested in the courts,\" a representative from DeviantArt stated. reason Moreover, a new NFT fraud detection initiative has emerged, successfully raising $5 million in seed funding led by FTX Ventures. This project aspires to leverage AI technology to identify and eliminate counterfeit digital collectibles from various NFT marketplaces.
Chainalysis has provided an early glance at a report examining Web3-related theft, laundering activities, and beyond. introduced MetaMask and Asset Reality have collaborated to extend support to victims of scams.
Seth Green's inability to proceed with his new show has been directly linked to the theft of his Bored Apes. Doppel Please be aware that the information shared on this page is neither intended nor should be construed as legal, financial, tax, investment, or other forms of advice. It is crucial to invest only what you can afford to lose and seek independent financial counsel if you have any uncertainties. For additional details, we recommend checking the terms and conditions and support resources provided by the issuer or advertiser. MetaversePost strives to ensure accurate and impartial reporting, yet market situations can shift without prior notice.
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- Agne is a dedicated journalist covering emerging trends and breakthroughs in the metaverse, AI, and Web3 sectors for Metaverse Post. Her enthusiasm for storytelling has led her to conduct numerous interviews with top experts, always seeking to share captivating and impactful narratives. Agne holds a Bachelor's degree in literature and has extensive experience writing on diverse subjects, including travel, culture, and art. Additionally, she has served as an editor for an animal welfare organization, working to raise awareness on important issues regarding animal rights. You can reach her at
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