Update: Team17 has ended its Worms NFT plans following all the backlash. Here’s the official statement from the publisher:

“Team17 is today announcing an end to the MetaWorms NFT project. We have listened to our teamsters, development partners, and our games’ communities, and the concerns they’ve expressed, and have therefore taken the decision to step back from the NFT space.”

Original story:

It seems as if a number of indie developers aren’t fans of Team17’s recent announcement.

Earlier during the week, Team17 revealed its Worms NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Not many people were happy with this, with fans expressing their disappointment with the publisher and its NFT partner Reality Gaming Group.

Team17’s group of indie developers are also being vocal about their ire. Both Ghost Town Games (Overcooked) and Aggro Crab Games (Going Under) have come forward and spoke out against Team17’s decision to engage with NFTs and the cryptocurrency space.

pic.twitter.com/t9RwesTp33

— Overcooked ? (@Overcookedgame) February 1, 2022

sigh pic.twitter.com/I4PIQB6o1H

— AGGRO CRAB (@AggroCrabGames) January 31, 2022

And just recently, Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic issued the following statement regarding NFTs:

“To our community, We have no interest in utilising NFT’s in any aspect of our business now or in future. Nor do we endorse the use of NFT’s in the wider world. In light of this, please be respectful when engaging with staff and community managers unwittingly affects by NFT announcements.”

As you can tell, the three developers have stressed that their respective fans and customers do not harass employees at Team17 or any other developers under their publishing umbrella. NFTs have been a controversial subject as of late, with even Ubisoft and VOs like Troy Baker coming under fire for even planning around such ideas that consequently can become grifts/pyramid schemes.