Online discussion platform Reddit has started to airdrop polygon-based “Collectible Avatars,” launched in July, for its most active users.
The NFT avatars based on Reddit’s flagship character Snoo were initially planned to be sold as profile picture art with collective benefits. But now, the platform has decided to give away some of them to users with sizeable karma points – a metric used to gauge a member’s participation across communities.
“To thank top karma earners for the contributions they’ve made to their Reddit communities, qualifying redditors will be able to choose from four distinct new styles of Collectible Avatars: Aww Friends, Drip Squad, Meme Team, The Singularity,” the firm had said in an announcement on the CollectibleAvatars subreddit.
Reddit had never disclosed the amount of karma points required to be eligible for the NFTs or the number of avatars it intends to airdrop. “Keep an eye on your feed to see if you qualify, and find your avatar squad!,” it had written in last week’s post.
Some members have now reportedly started receiving the Avatars – which are also listed on OpenSea, ranging from $15 to $42.
Even though Reddit has thus far refrained from calling the Collective Avatars “NFTs” in an attempt to avoid backlash, some users have still mocked the program.
Several brands, such as Coca-cola and esports gaming firm 100Thieves, have used a similar tactic to avoid labelling their collections as “NFTs,” as the asset class has drawn criticism from select groups for its speculative nature and negative environmental impact.
However, Reddit has been active in the blockchain space for several years and has even stated that blockchain tech will remain a key part of its long-term plans.