Stonks-9800 deserves better than this.

Chances are that, unless you happened to read my personal GOTY pick from 2023 or just have generally excellent taste in video games, you’re not too familiar with Stonks-9800 (which you can find on Steam). That’s a shame, because the early access stock-trading simulator set in the vibrant ’80s Japan is brilliantly crafted—full of style and engaging gameplay that can keep you glued to its line graphs for extensive periods.

However, Stonks-9800 is facing a troubling situation as its assets, characters, and name are being exploited by crypto enthusiasts claiming ties to the fraudulent SPX6900 coin. Their website shamelessly displays art and assets borrowed from the game while falsely stating, “Stonks-9800 Gave Birth to SPX6900.”

To add insult, the imitation website has no valid connection to the original game beyond the appropriated materials. The webpage’s links mislead you to tracking pages for a different and obscure coin named, unsurprisingly, STONKS9800.

The actual developer, Ternox, expressed their distress on X (formerly Twitter) asking, “Does anyone know how to take this to court or something like that? I have nothing to do with this, and my game has been used for some kind of crypto scam… I feel terrible because of this.”

Regrettably, Ternox’s outlook on pursuing legal action appears bleak as they stated, “I don’t think I can figure this out, unfortunately,” in a follow-up tweet.

This case exemplifies a growing crisis where genuine artistic creations are usurped and marketed by a faceless, exploitative industry. While the STONKS9800 coin currently holds a market value of about $350,000, it casts a shadow over the true craft of game development. Ternox’s situation highlights a grim image of an industry that often prioritizes financial gain over the integrity of creators.