The founder of Catly, a new video game described as “AI slop” that debuted last week at the 2024 Game Awards in Los Angeles, has a history of failed NFT and blockchain games.
The first game from SuperAunthenti Co., Catly’s trailer left X-users wondering how it secured a Game Awards spot and promotion from major influencers like Pokimane and Ninja.
The studio’s co-founder Kevin Yeung also launched TenthPlanet, a gaming company focused on Web3, NFTs, digital property and blockchain-based games. In 2022, his studio reportedly planned to launch two blockchain games and sink $2.5 million into a cat-themed project called Alien Meow.
This “cat metaverse” was intended to “generate in-game value from breeding, just like CryptoKitties,” Yeung claimed. A beta version was supposed to be released in early 2023, but this never happened. The other blockchain game, Mech Angel, is too nowhere to be found.
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Gaming news channel 80 Level was able to confirm a Reddit sleuth’s claims that SuperAuthenti Co is the shareholder and owner of Shanghai Binmao Technology. This studio created an app called Plantly: Mindful Gardening, which used plants as ‘digital tokens’.
Binmao Technology employees also appeared to have spent three months working on a metaverse game called Catly.
Does Yeung’s new Catly game have NFTs? There is no mention of it anywhere in the game’s marketing or websiteHowever, the design is reminiscent of NFT projects, with flashy 3D renders used to showcase in-game cosmetics.
The described gameplay is also strongly reminiscent of Alien Meow.
Screenshots of the Catly ‘product collections’ site.
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Regardless, some users are concerned that the game may contain NFTs. Others are angry about Catly’s apparent use of AI-generated imagery, comparing it to “AI slop.” Some called it a “100% scam” and raised suspicions about the planned release of the Apple Watch.
The Catly just over 1,300 followers. It has posted 18 times and now hides AI-related comments under its posts. Kevin Yeung has also deleted his LinkedIn profile.