By
Chimamanda U. Martha
April 22nd, 2024
The NFTs around popular Netflix TV show “Stranger Things” have received some backlash from irate fans who berate its minigame format.
NFT company Candy Digital is receiving fan backlash for its recently-released Netflix “Stranger Things” minigame that awards non-fungible tokens (NFTs). While some fans were content with the showpiece from the NFT platform, others criticized the promotion, calling it “trash.”
The Netflix “Stranger Things” NFTs feature 11,111 unique tokens on Candy Digital’s Palm network and require players to earn by solving riddles. The digital assets feature pictures of stars of the acclaimed television series which will conclude with the fifth season.
Recap of TV Show’s Minigame Origin
Netflix first teased its NFT partnership with Candy Digital back in April. The American streaming giant incorporated hidden clues in the Season 4 trailer of “Stranger Things” which eagle-eyed fans picked up on. Fans were able to discover and access a promo website iamhellsmaster.com which directly links to “Stranger Things” and Candy Digital. The website featured a one-pager with a countdown clock that expired on Friday night April 29th. At the time, the promo website also welcomed users with a message that read:
“Congrats for uncovering the clues and joining Stranger Things 4’s interactive curiosity voyage, brought to you by Candy Digital and Netflix.”
However, the promo website is what currently serves as the platform for the Stranger Things NFT minigame. Last week, around 4,700 players earned free NFT posters of Millie Bobbie Brown’s leading character “Eleven”. They achieved this by playing a mystery game with a virtual “Stranger Things” laboratory.
Some fans took to Twitter to share their virtual experiences with the minigame. A message on one of the Twitter accounts @pianosforzando read:
“Done doing my third puzzle/artwork through Netflix x Candy partnered website in one of the Stranger Things Lite Brite probably this is the hardest one I have accomplished. Hope y’all like it.”
This week, the Netflix-Candy site features a new round of minigames that players must overcome in order to win more NFT prizes. Up for grabs this time are just four free NFT posters of characters Jonathan Byers, Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, or Argyle.
Fan Response to Netflix “Stranger Things” NFTs Initiative
Several fans also took to Twitter to share their reception to the “Stranger Things” NFT minigames. While some were enthused about the thrill of the games, others wrote it off as a total failure. For instance, one fan with the Twitter handle @unclejeet explicitly wrote:
“I deeply love Stranger Things, but I’m profoundly disappointed that Netflix decided it’d be a good idea to run an NFT grift on its fans. I’d love to play the games and solve the mysteries like the ARG for season three, but no. I’m not going anywhere near this trash. Do better.”
There were even more strong negative responses to the minigames such as cuss words and vomiting emojis. One interested fan reported experiencing system issues whilst attempting the challenge. This saw them repeatedly getting logged out of their account.