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Introduction of the MET AMS Duck
If there is one thing Habbo has in abundance, it is surely its history — over a twenty year legacy, the game has prompted the growth of entire sub-communities dedicated to tracking, recording, and detailing the stories behind its thousands of in-game items and events. Habbo NFT is no exception to this, and while it is the newest entrant into the Habbo history books, it is already the source of several notable furni releases and events. Perhaps the most interesting among these is the story of the MET AMS duck and MET AMS easel, whose rare appearances around legacy hotels have prompted a great deal of curiosity.
The MET AMS (Metaverse Amsterdam) festival is an annual event which first took place in mid-June 2022, with Habbo NFT founder Muumiopappa on hand to give a keynote speech about Habbo X. Habbo NFT also maintained an official booth at the event where festival-goers were able to meet Sulake and Azerion staff, talk about the project, and play a special “duck fishing” game to win an all-new furni: the MET AMS 2022 Gift. The game involved picking rubber ducks out of a floating pool of water in hopes of finding one marked as a winner, and while each visitor had three tries to pick a duck, only some were lucky enough to earn the prize.
Lucky winners of the duck fishing game entered their email address into an iPad present at Habbo’s booth, and about a week later, all winners received a special voucher code by email which could be used to mint a MET AMS 2022 Gift (now better known as a MET AMS Duck) for free in Habbo’s virtual NFT shopfront. Amidst the excitement, staff initially advised winners that the vouchers would only be valid for two weeks, after which point they would cease to function. With only a handful of ducks minted, the two week timeline sent the secondary market into frenzy as traders clamoured to own what some saw as a future “super rare”.
Images: Irena_NL, Mamakevin2
A Brief Miscommunication
By early July, as the two week timeline for voucher code redemption had expired, the quantity of MET AMS ducks sat at a modest 84 items shared between both Habbo X and Habbo’s nine legacy hotels. Prices at this point reached a high of 0.24 ETH, and the appeal of the item was championed within the Habbo community. However, community excitement turned to confusion when an 85th MET AMS duck was unexpectedly minted on August 5, approximately one month after the codes were said to have expired.
The new mint drew the ire of users who had purchased the item under the impression that ducks supply would not increase following code expiry in early July, and many expressed their frustration in a series of posts within Habbo NFT’s official Discord server. In response to user feedback, founder Muumiopappa worked to smooth the situation over with an assurance that statements regarding a two week-long expiry period were miscommunicated, and that codes would instead be valid for a period of five years. However, as users reiterated their concern with the situation, Muumiopappa further acknowledged the negative effect the miscommunication may have on the portfolios containing the duck and committed to offering these users compensation.
Introducing the MET AMS Easel
On August 25, following a period of time to consider context and to create art for a new piece of furniture, Habbo NFT team member Kaneljente gave users a first look at the compensation item by announcing the MET AMS Easel within the Habbo NFT Discord. This limited edition piece of furniture — a canvas easel depicting a sketch of the MET AMS duck — was airdropped to users who held one of the first 84 MET AMS ducks at the moment in time that the surprise 85th duck was minted. Along with these 84 easels, an 85th item currently exists separate from other easels.
Users praised Habbo’s response to the issue, and based on its rarity and appearance, the easel has become one of Habbo NFT’s most desirable collectable items. Muumiopappa has since assured users that the MET AMS duck will not be given out at future MET AMS events and that its quantity would remain small, reiterating its place as a collector’s piece alongside the rarer easel. Moreover, with a backstory weaving together duck fishing, a metaverse conference, mysterious voucher codes, and the attention of Habbos around the world, these two items have certainly earned their spot in Habbo history like many classic rares before them.
