The past month has been filled with early memes going to the wild frontier of the NFT marketplace, with creators of internet classics like Nyan Cat, Scumbag Steve, Overly Attached Girlfriend and others selling "original" versions of their meme for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Annoying Orange is the latest old meme to try and break into the market, selling a "4k remaster" of its original viral video, but has run into an issue that eluded its peers: backlash.

HEY!!! I have an exclusive Annoying Orange NFT dropping on @withFND on Wednesday (4/15)! It's an exclusive 4K Remaster of the original video that started it all! #nftcollector #nftcollectors pic.twitter.com/QzzYqUf0qR

— Annoying Orange (@annoyingorange) April 11, 2021

The NFT market has proven unexpectedly and bizarrely lucrative but has not been without its critics. Many cite the environmental impact NFTs have on the planet, while others think the whole thing is a load of nonsense. In a long thread, The Annoying Orange creators pushed back against critics who are against NFTs for their impact on the environment and also pushed back at critics who would claim they "sold out."

To those that might be angry because you think I’ve “sold out”, I’m sorry you feel that way. We are a very small animation studio that work very hard to do what we love – which is make silly videos that make people smile. pic.twitter.com/rrAJ5oeSN5

— Annoying Orange (@annoyingorange) April 11, 2021

The thread turned people against The Annoying Orange, as Twitter users shared criticisms and ways to skirt the NFT system and "steal" the NFT.

Turns out anyone can own the Annoying Orange 4k Remaster if you inspect element the auction website and hit download.

If anyone wants it for free🍊: https://t.co/eZiYvKapmA pic.twitter.com/QBqUs5h8YI

— DaftPina (@DaftPina) April 12, 2021

GUYS! I found a good way to watch annoying orange for free! No hacks no virus 2021 legit (100% tested) pic.twitter.com/Uz0cwGJ2l8

— Fake Crash (@mrevaporation) April 11, 2021

heres the full 4k remaster of the video (full 4k res youtube upload: https://t.co/k8cqdMtl06 )
remember do not support NFTS they harm the environment in unthinkable ways. pic.twitter.com/xv5CTqbTu0

— 🛡 Clover Incorporated 🛡 (@ChloCorp) April 12, 2021

Wow, its almost like NFTs are a scam and you can't actually be the only one to own a video on a non-physical medium pic.twitter.com/elzG5vvhOt

— Vibri (@QueerSwine) April 12, 2021

In addition to the backlash Annoying Orange has received due to the environmental impact of NFTs, others found it tough to buy that Annoying Orange was finally "cashing in" on its viral success, considering they parlayed The Annoying Orange into a Cartoon Network series that ran from 2012-2014. And unlike other old memes that have hit the NFTs, The Annoying Orange is arguably not very well-liked.

If you pay real money for an Annoying Orange NFT I hope you never succeed in life. https://t.co/UGE8Bjq5dY

— j aubrey 🤠 (@jaubreyYT) April 12, 2021

heres the full 4k remaster of the video (full 4k res youtube upload: https://t.co/k8cqdMtl06 )
remember do not support NFTS they harm the environment in unthinkable ways. pic.twitter.com/xv5CTqbTu0

— 🛡 Clover Incorporated 🛡 (@ChloCorp) April 12, 2021

NFT releases Thursday, April 15th. Until then, it is unclear if the backlash will affect the sale of the product.