KEY POINTS
Move-to-earn non-fungible token (NFT) app Stepn is expanding its offerings with the introduction of “Stepn Go.”
Since its launch in 2021, Stepn has grown into a leading move-to-earn app in the Web3 space. Users buy NFT sneakers and use them for physical activities — walking, jogging, or running — earning GST upon completing their workouts.
The new project, Stepn Go, will be a completely separate app from the original, with different mechanisms and features. According to a post on X (Twitter) on May 23, Stepn Go aims to incorporate social interaction alongside physical movement.
Some of the new features include “crypto-free” onboarding, allowing users to lend their NFT sneakers to friends and family, and customizable avatars and outfits within the app.
A key addition is the new GO GAME TOKEN (GGT), which users can earn by walking or running with their NFT sneakers. To earn more energy, users will need to burn Sneakers to increase the Energy Cap — which determines the duration of shoe usage before they stop earning rewards.
The introduction of “Stepn Go” has led to confusion in the community, especially since the new logo and title have replaced the original ones on X. Many users questioned if this meant the end of the original project.
One user wrote, “Definitely feels like you just killed STEPN, new logo, new name to replace the old one on the same X handle: no more visibility for STEPN.”
Another commented, “Very confusing strategy… why two apps to achieve the same goal? Why new tokens? To me it sounds you announced the death of OG StepN and are starting from scratch again.”
The community’s concerns extended to the clarity of the project’s direction, with many expressing regret over the launch of a new project instead of providing updates on the original one. Users also pointed out that Stepn had not honored its roadmap. One comment stated, “No announcement was made on the annual roadmap and resilience gem utilities. Did you lie again?”
In response to user queries, FSL — the company behind Stepn — clarified under a user’s question, “Cool, but what’s happening to my Stepn account/items?” with “Nothing at all, OG STEPN app remains the same!”
However, the company has not addressed many of the other questions and complaints from users. To provide further clarification, Stepn has scheduled an AMA (ask me anything) session on its official Discord channel for May 29 at 3 am UTC.
The launch of Stepn Go comes as a surprise, especially considering the recent efforts to promote the original project. Last month, Stepn launched a $30 million airdrop campaign and announced a partnership with Adidas for ALTS by Adidas, releasing a collection of 1,000 NFT sneakers on the Solana blockchain. Additionally, Stepn partnered with NFT game developer Illuvium to launch limited-edition sneakers.
While the introduction of Stepn Go indicates a significant shift in strategy, it remains to be seen how the community will react once more details are provided. The upcoming AMA session may offer answers to the many questions that users have about the future of both the original Stepn app and the new Stepn Go project.
