Community members who joined the “OS2” private beta are expressing their frustration with OpenSea's airdrop dynamics. Recently, the NFT marketplace announced that holders of its Gemesis NFTs now have access to the upgraded OS2 marketplace.

On January 28, OpenSea confirmed it had completed the wallet snapshot for Gemesis NFT holders. They reported nearly 50,000 people own these NFTs, allowing them to access OS2.

On November 4, 2024, OpenSea's founder and CEO, Devin Finzer, shared plans to build a new version of the platform "from the ground up." While he didn’t provide many details, he hinted at a possible release in December. However, a December 31 update revealed that the OS2 beta was still rolling out to the last groups of testers, causing delays.

The announcement of OS2 has reignited speculation about a potential OpenSea token airdrop. Some users have started comparing OpenSea’s strategy to competitors like Blur and Magic Eden, which have issued tokens through airdrops.

DappRadar's communications manager, known as “nederob,” mentioned that the new platform is generating serious buzz because of the potential for an airdrop. Yet, he cautioned that, since OpenSea operates in the U.S., where regulations are still unclear, an airdrop might be unlikely but not impossible.

On December 15, speculation intensified when OpenSea registered its business in the Cayman Islands. This led some to think it could be a step toward facilitating a token airdrop. However, OpenSea has not confirmed any plans regarding this.

When OpenSea finally released private beta access to NFT holders, users took to social media to express their dissatisfaction. They were concerned about who could access the platform and how points for a potential airdrop would be awarded. One community member criticized the platform for prioritizing NFT holders over regular users. NFT trader TylerD was particularly frustrated. He claimed he couldn’t access version 2 of the platform because he didn’t have a Gemesis NFT, despite having over $10 million in lifetime trading volume.

Meanwhile, users granted access to the platform noted that OpenSea doesn’t offer retroactive points for previous users. This means everyone starts from scratch on the new platform. NFT trader Beanie argued that this decision alienates those who have generated significant trading fees for OpenSea. He accused the platform of neglecting its early supporters and urged the community to drive the token's value to zero upon its launch.

In response to the backlash, Finzer addressed concerns on social media. He stated that OpenSea hasn’t forgotten the “OGs” who helped build the platform but didn’t provide further details.