Futureshock: Statement from Aytac Özden ÇETİNKAYA (@hightouch)
Fellow Steemians,
I’ve been part of Steem for nearly a decade, long enough to see it at its best and, sadly, at its worst.
I joined this community in 2016 because I found its technology brilliant and believed in what it stood for: decentralization, creativity, and freedom.
I believed that with enough hard work, blockchain could empower people — not control or manipulate them.
I’ve built here with conviction and persistence. I participated in countless projects like Busy and D.tube, and built others like DrugWars, one of the first major blockchain games; Fundition, the first decentralized crowdfunding platform on blockchain; and most recently Echelon, a sidechain proposal designed to move our ecosystem forward.
I even created Ongame.io and many other apps/dapps, which either didn’t succeed or were never released, but demanded years of work, personal sacrifice, and financial losses, totaling more than six figures in euro over time. Some of that money came from my personal earnings at some of the world’s most renowned IT companies.
I also helped many developers get started on Steem and contributed ideas to help others build better projects.
Through it all, I stayed because I believed in Steem’s potential.
I believed that, with my team and the community, if we gave our all and built with vision, we could help Steem stand out. I believed the system would recognize and reward our commitment, integrity, and effort.
But today, I see something different.
I see some top witnesses and people rising to the top 20 who have no respect for the community’s trust, some who have gone as far as logging users’ private keys, others complicit by turning a blind eye, or simply sitting on their early stake/work while contributing nothing of value. Some claim to act for the community’s good while undermining it behind the scenes.
I also see individuals with little experience or meaningful contribution rising purely through connections, manipulation, or popularity, rather than merit or effort.
I stood at this ethical crossroad for several weeks, questioning myself: Am I being delusional? Am I overestimating what integrity and hard work can achieve here?
I considered leaving while my influence was very limited. The more I observed, the clearer it became — staying would mean compromising my principles, and I cannot do that. Principles cannot be compromised for influence or position, no matter how tempting.
And the silence from Steemit Inc. and some other big stakeholders speaks volumes.
The lack of action; the tolerance of these abuses; is slowly destroying the Steem I’ve long cared for.
So I’ve made my decision.
With my team, we will finish what we started: delivering the Echelon sidechain project to the community as promised.
Then, I will step down as a Steem witness and end our active work here.
I make this choice while I’m still among the top 3 witnesses, and after personally funding 10 high-end servers for three years, because I refuse to wait until decay becomes irreversible.
This isn’t about rank... as some have mistakenly suggested. It’s about responsibility. Let the record be clear: the drama ends here.
This is not abandoning Steem.
It’s refusing to legitimize what it’s becoming.
I’ve never hidden behind an alias. My name is Aytac Özden ÇETİNKAYA, and I’ve always acted transparently and in good faith — even when it cost me time, money, and peace.
I’ve never been here to exploit. I’ve been here to create to bring a vision to life and push the limits, striving to outpace even multi-million-dollar companies with the work my team and I do.
All of this, everything I’ve built, comes from a mind that never went to school, yet learned far more than any classroom ever could.
Some will misunderstand this choice. That’s fine.
Those who truly build, who’ve lost sleep, taken risks, and carried this chain forward, will understand.
Steem used to be about creativity, courage, and vision. But when integrity becomes optional, decentralization loses its meaning, and with it, all its value.
We’ll complete our final contribution and then walk away, proud of what we’ve built, proud of the people we’ve worked with, and proud that we leave without compromise.
Life has taught me many things. The most important one is this:
True integrity begins with personal honesty, the ability to look in the mirror and know you stayed true is worth far more than any position, wealth, or recognition.
Without that, no relationship, no community, and no endeavor — no matter how promising — can truly endure.
Aytac Özden ÇETİNKAYA (@hightouch)
& the Team of Fundition / DrugWars / Steemscan / Ongame / FactIt / SteemLogin / MimeeBot / Teelkee / SteemStem / Echelon
Your abdication means that the future of Steem will go even darker. I can't accept it at all. Steem has a chance to turn around. We don't want to lose a jewel like you at this moment.
It's true that some disagreements and trust issues have recently been created among the Witnesses. We will have to solve this ourselves with some time. But, leaving us means making us orphans.
I don't agree to lose such a talented developer at all. I hope all the other Witnesses and general users will agree with me.
0.00 SBD,
14.62 STEEM,
14.62 SP
Absolutely agree with this sentiment 💯
Your presence has been a guiding force for the entire Steem community. Every ecosystem faces challenges, but strong leadership is what helps it rise again. Steem truly can turn things around and losing such a valuable developer at this critical moment would be a huge setback. We need unity and perseverance, not separation. 🙏
0.00 SBD,
4.29 STEEM,
4.29 SP
I completely agree with your words. Steem truly needs visionaries like him at this stage. His departure would be a huge loss for the entire ecosystem. I deeply hope he reconsiders, as people like him have shaped the very foundation we stand on today.
0.00 SBD,
4.25 STEEM,
4.25 SP
Yes, of course I agree with you. We and this chain need such an honest and competent developer. He is truly an extraordinary and very creative person.
0.00 SBD,
4.05 STEEM,
4.05 SP
I definitely agree with you brother and many thanks for raising your logical thoughts.
0.00 SBD,
2.48 STEEM,
2.48 SP
I fully agree with you. Steem really needs honest, talented, and brave developers like Aytac right now. Leaving at this crucial time will only empower the dishonest and weaken the community. We all should stand together and support each other to overcome disagreements and build a stronger future for Steem.
You are absolutely right. Losing someone like Aytac would be a huge loss for the entire Steem community. Every platform needs honest and visionary people to survive and grow. I really hope he reconsiders his decision and inspires us all with his dedication and integrity.
I agree with you, Dada. If a Witness and developer like Aytac is lost, it will be a great loss for the Steemit community. Aytac had already completed many major development works for the Steemit platform. Now we should all stand by Aytac and support each other to overcome differences and build a strong future for Steem.
We all need to come together, only then can we make this beautiful platform even more beautiful. You are right, we don't want to lose a good developer and a good-hearted person like you. I wish he would kindly change his decision.
Dear Aytac,
Please reconsider your decision. Steem needs people like you — visionary builders who truly understand both the technology and the spirit behind decentralization.
You’ve proven your commitment through years of hard work, innovation, and leadership. The ecosystem has already benefited so much from what you and your team have created , from DrugWars and Fundition to Echelon and beyond. Losing a developer and community member of your caliber would be a huge loss for the entire blockchain.
I understand and deeply respect your reasons, especially your stance on integrity and principles. But I still hope you will stay and continue guiding the next generation of Steem developers. Your presence inspires many of us to believe that this chain can still evolve and return to its core values — transparency, creativity, and community.
Even if the system feels broken at times, your leadership gives others the courage to keep building. Please stay — not for the system as it is, but for what it can still become with the right people leading it.
We need you, Aytac. Let’s come together and find solutions to the current issues through open and honest discussion instead of walking away.
With respect and gratitude,
0.00 SBD,
5.28 STEEM,
5.28 SP
My journey started in 2018 with Fundition — not just a project, but a belief that blockchain could really empower people through honesty, creativity, and collaboration.
Since then, I’ve seen Aytac give literally everything — his time, energy, money, even his peace of mind — just to make something meaningful for this community.
Sometimes he didn’t even sleep, working day and night to finish projects and keep everything running, even when nobody else noticed.
He always reminded us: “True integrity begins with being honest with yourself.” And he didn’t just say it — he actually lived it, every single day.
He helped me through some really tough moments, and every time I thought, “Man, I wish I had met him earlier.”
We met thanks to Steemit — without it, we might never have crossed paths. So yeah, big thanks to Steemit for that too.
For me, Aytac was never just a boss — he’s a genuine leader who inspires through action, not just words.
I feel truly fortunate to be part of this team, built on honesty, hard work, and a shared vision.
Thank you, Aytac, for showing what real leadership, integrity, and dedication look like.
And thank you, Steemit, for making this journey and our meeting possible for me.
Future Shock Team
From your comment, I've learned that he is a wonderful person as a person. A responsible person as a boss. An honest, dedicated and hardworking person at work. We don't want to lose such a person. We want to keep him at any cost.
0.00 SBD,
2.62 STEEM,
2.62 SP
dear Hightouch.
People keep saying don't leave but we all know what to do at least, which builds integrity by not allowing blaze.apps in the governance. I respect your decision.
0.00 SBD,
4.89 STEEM,
4.89 SP
Lot's of people saying, please reconsider, and of course I agree. But, how do you do that when you just publicly announced your intent to leave? I doubt if you really feel like that's an option at this point, so I'd like to propose an alternative strategy.
You've demonstrated your value to the community and received the attention of the stakeholders now, but with an immediate exit, the community has no time to reform (which, I think, almost everyone agrees is necessary).
So, I propose that you give us a 2nd chance, and I look at the recent post from Wikipedia cofounder, Larry Sanger, with his 9 theses for Wikipedia reformation as an example of how that might be done.
Please pick out the most urgent reforms that you think are needed and a realistic date when they must be addressed. Publish that, and if (in your sole judgment) the community has not shown sufficient intent to reform by the date you selected, then you complete your exit - as planned. Otherwise, you stay, and Steem moves in the direction where it starts cultivating integrity again.
True negotiation requires a willingness to walk away, and now that you've demonstrated both your value to the community and a willingness to walk away, I'd ask that you delay your exit for long enough to see if the community can absorb this new information and reform itself.
You've invested almost 10 years of your life here. I'm not saying you should let the sunk cost drive you forever, but maybe it's worth one try to use your influence in this way before you head out the door?
Off topic, but FWIW - whether you stay or go, I have long thought that Fundition was one of the best ideas that ever emerged here...
0.00 SBD,
4.61 STEEM,
4.61 SP
Sad to read this. Hightouch is one of the very few who still genuinely care about Steem. He is always been building with passion and integrity when most moved on or stopped caring. Big respect for staying true to your values.
0.00 SBD,
4.57 STEEM,
4.57 SP
Met Hightouch through Steemit and got to work with him for years. If we have to talk about work, then Hightouch did too much – with little to no recognition... and gave his all to Steem, to the point of breaking his health, which wasn't easy to witness sometimes. I gave up on Steem... he didn't. Yet the community doesn't respect his work – for example, most Steemit users don't even know Steemscan is his work.
As for personality... oh boy, he is stubborn. The problem is – he was never a shark. Always standing tall on his principles and never compromising on that, which is why he could never win the Steem political games... and could never, at the same time, scam the users. He is upright, ethical, and gave us that sense of responsibility. We were led by a heartful leader, CTO (CEO), teammate – and basically one of my closest friends today. I'm glad he's quitting that toxic ecosystem, and sad for Steem at the same time. And if you know Hightouch... you know that he never lies and always speaks his mind (which is also a problem XD).
His work made Steem history: Fundition, Steemscan, Drugwars, Steemlogin, Ongame, and so on. Also, he developed many Dapps that didn't get the chance to be presented...but I got lucky to witness a few..and man that could've changed the whole Steem Blockchain use cases.
0.00 SBD,
4.50 STEEM,
4.50 SP
I am shocked and sad.
I enjoyed working with you, but I understand your consequent decision... and hope there is still a way back.
0.00 SBD,
4.40 STEEM,
4.40 SP
I’ve known Aytac since the early days of Steem. Back then, it was wild I genuinely believed in him and his dedication to his projects and creative ideas. He completely impressed me, and that motivation spread to everyone who worked alongside him.
I worked with him mainly on the community and support side, so I got to see everything up close. Honestly, he never stopped. Always building, always testing new ideas, while most others were just talking or chasing a quick profit.
He always stood out. What mattered to him was creating solid, meaningful projects that truly helped people. He contributed to many projects at the same time D.Tube, Busy, and others. He also created his own, like Fundition, Teelkee, and especially DrugWars, which was absolutely groundbreaking. It was play-to-earn before anyone even used that term. For a while, it was the biggest blockchain app number one. Everyone was talking about it. We couldn’t believe how big it became.
But what really stood out about him was how much he shared. The successes, the struggles, the rewards he never thought only of himself. That’s what made him a true leader, not someone chasing the spotlight.
It honestly hurts to see how things turned out. Steem had incredible potential, but greed and bad decisions slowly destroyed it from within. Losing someone like Aytac isn’t just a developer leaving it’s the soul of the project walking away.
After all these years, he’s more than a colleague to me. He’s family. I’ve seen what he’s gone through, all the times he stood back up when everything was falling apart.
You don’t meet people like him often.
I have deep respect for you, Aytac, and I’ll always support you in your projects and convictions. You’re an example to so many developers.
0.00 SBD,
4.28 STEEM,
4.28 SP
Yes, misunderstandings and differences exist that’s natural in any growing ecosystem. However,withdrawal is not the way true leadership shines.Rather, unity and persistence are.One of the few people who gave Steem direction and credibility is you.Losing you now would mean losing hope for the revival we’ve all been waiting for.I sincerely wish you reconsider.
0.00 SBD,
4.13 STEEM,
4.13 SP