Is Hamster Kombat Hype Over? Token Sinks as Users Abandon Game

The viral blockchain-based Telegram game Hamster Kombat was once a viral hit. Now, it is struggling with engaging players.

Little cartoon hamsters are kicking and screaming at dancing crickets.
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  • Hamster Kombat loses 259 million players.
  • Clicker apps have trouble with retention. 
  • The Hamster Kombat token is crashing. 

Crypto tap-to-earn apps have been among the biggest viral hits this year. Games like Hamster Kombat were behind TONโ€™s network surge, and some even lauded them as the solution for Web3 user engagement. Now, it seems like these games are losing steam. 

Recent figures show that Hamster Kombat lost 85% of its 300 million players from its highs months after launch. This has caused the token’s price to crash, which has implications for the entire TON ecosystem.ย 

Hamster Kombat’s Decline in Engagement

Hamster Kombat is struggling to retain its users. According to data by Protos, the game’s monthly active players dropped 85% since its all-time high. In July this year, the game had 300 million active players, compared to just 41 million in October.ย 

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The data suggests that the Hamster Kombat airdrop did not do enough to boost engagement, as some had hoped. Worse, the airdrop faced technical issues and questions about its fairness. Approximately 2.3 million accounts were disqualified by stringent anti-cheat measures, catching many off-guard.ย 

The decline of over 259 million users in three months raises questions about the gameโ€™s future. Consequently, the Hamster Kombat (HMSTR) token sharply declined in that period. HMSTR is now trading at $0.002505, down 75% from its all-time high of $0.01004. 

Are Clicker Apps Done? 

While Hamster Kombat faced its own issues, its decline raises questions about clicker apps in general. Games like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat have driven the surge in engagement on TONโ€™s blockchain and other networks.ย 

The accessible mechanics brought hundreds of millions of users to the chains and contributed to a surge in network volume. This has prompted industry leaders, including Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, to praise the apps for bringing new users to crypto. 

Despite these hopes, the apps have failed to engage their users meaningfully. What is more, hyper-casual games, in general, have been on the decline since the pandemic. This has caused user retention issues as casual gamers seek more fun and meaningful experiences.

On the Flipside

  • Games like Hamster Kombat are seeing increased competition. Clicker apps cropped up on other chains, including Solana. 
  • As in-game rewards are directly tied to the HMSTR token, the drop in its price also resulted in lower rewards. This shows that pay-to-earn games need to look into other types of monetization.

Why This Matters

The decline of Hamster Kombat showcases the inherent issues with most play-to-earn blockchain games. Without creating engaging experiences, users will abandon these projects. 

Read more about Hamster clicker games: 
Why Clicker Apps Like Notcoin Are Taking Off on Telegram

Read more about Vixichain: 
Vixichainโ€™s โ€˜Blockchain for Banksโ€™ Raises $7M Funding 

This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein shall be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading forex, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs pose a considerable risk of loss.

Author
David Marsanic

David Marsanic is DailyCoinโ€™s journalist, focusing on Solana and crypto exchanges. David currently doesnโ€™t hold any crypto.

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