Less than 24 hours after Rohun Vora (renamed Frank DeGods) announced her role as CEO of Delabs, the company behind the high-profile NFT Projects Degods and Y00TS resigned, and the NFT market witnessed rising and unexpected price increases.
Both collections, DEGOD and Y00Ts, both rose in Ethereum and Solana’s trading volume and floor prices. It’s not just a simple price rebound, but a vivid sign that sometimes the community responds more positively when a huge personal influence is away from the project.
Amazing moves, but don’t be shocked
Frank Degods’ real name is Rohun Vora, the founder of Degods – a collection of 10,000 NFTs originally launched on Solana, thanks to its unique art style and the staking mechanism powered by Dust Soken.
Its “brother” project Y00TS consists of 15,000 NFTs, which was later introduced to expand the ecosystem, providing more interactive features such as NFT customization and community group creation. Both were considered flagship collections during Solana’s NFT boom.
Frank announced in a video released on May 12 that he decided to quit leadership after more than three years at Delabs. The move, he said, was intended to allow the project to develop independently without being closely related to his role. “I don’t want DEGOD to be a startup around me,” Frank said. “I want it to grow into its own world.”
The announcement sparked a different response. Some supporters praised the decision as a mature and necessary step towards a new chapter of Delabs. Others, however, questioned the timing and real motivation behind it, especially given that Frank’s recent memorial industry through an openly well-known wallet has been under fire, which has raised concerns about internal activities.
Frank Chanter
A post published on X in February 2025 even speculated on a potential SEC investigation. Frank denied the claims and publicly shared his wallet address to prove transparency.
He reiterated that he was not investigated and did not conduct any illegal activities. Nevertheless, he announced that he would cease using public wallets to avoid further reputational risks to the project.
Learn more: How to Cause NFT: A Beginner’s Guide
Will Degods become the next chunky penguin after Frank resigns as CEO?
Surprisingly, the NFT community itself is not Frank’s resignation, but a direct reaction to the market. DeGods’ flooring prices soared nearly 40% in a day, while the Y00T on Solana also jumped more than 25%. Cryptoslam further reported that DEGODS sales soared nearly 101% after Frank announced the news.
Source: Magician
After the founder stepped down, it is rare to see NFT projects experience such rallies. Many observers quickly gained similarities with the chunky penguins in 2022, when internal disputes led to the evacuation of the original team and opened the door to a major revival under Luca Netz’s new leadership.
Like this chunky case, Frank’s departure seems to have “liberated” the community from personal entanglement, opening the door to a less dramatic and creative future. On X, the term “small moment” quickly began to trend, accompanied by a wave of tweets applauding Frank’s decision to “free” degods.
These two numbers step in to lead the project, and are not just optimistic about a brighter future: @0x_chill and @pastagotsauce. Although neither of them publicly reveals their true identities, both have long contributed to Delabs and played a key role in establishing previous NFT programs.
Source: X
Shortly after Frank released his resignation video, the official DEGODS account announced a new chapter called “Degods Book One” aimed at reviewing the first three years of the project and outlining new directions. This is a positive signal that transitions involve not only continuity, but also explicit, intentional evolution.
Founder’s departure: NFT’s double-edged sword
Investors often see the resignation of a founder as a sign of instability. But in the world of NFT, individual brands and dramas often obscures the material of the product—their departure can sometimes be a welcome development.
Frank is far from the first case. Apart from the chunky penguins, such collections MFERS (Follow Sartoshi’s “Social Media Suicide”) and Moonbird (After Kevin Rose cuts down his involvement) saw the community respond differently. But the common topic is: if successor teams can be competent and transparent, the market is often willing to offer a second chance.
While the initial market response was undeniably positive, there is still a deeper question: is this a “small and plump moment” to stand out – a transformative rebirth, or is a short-term emotional surge in the community?
The revival of the thrift penguins under Luca Netz was not only a change in leadership, but a thorough strategic overhaul. Netz repositioned the brand with physical toys, IP licensing and a long-term vision, far beyond NFT Echo Chamber.
Pudgy IP – Source: Optapspadepip
By contrast, DeGods has not yet announced a clear Frank strategy, besides announcing the “first book.” Despite cautious optimism surrounding @0x_chill and @pastagotsauce, the lack of transparency in their leadership plans, roadmaps or product guidance still keeps many investors off the market.
If “Degods Book One” is only used as a retrospective and does not offer a specific vision of innovation or renewal, the recent price surge may be nothing more than a “buy rumor” rally – the adventure will quickly fade away once the initial hype fades away.
If the new team is as capable as Pudgy, it is proof that DEGOD can really make a comeback. In this case, the “tubby moment” will no longer be a metaphor. This will be the lasting start.
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