The explosive rise of Hamster Kombat and its forthcoming token launch on the TON blockchain could potentially introduce hundreds of millions of people to Web3, as noted by Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
In a public post shared with his Telegram channel’s 2.7 million subscribers, Durov emphasized the tremendous success of the viral clicker game. Launched in March 2024, Hamster Kombat has already attracted over 200 million players.
Durov highlighted some impressive statistics, such as the game reaching 100 million monthly users in just 73 days. According to Durov, the Telegram mini app sees 4-5 million new users joining daily, positioning it among the fastest-growing digital services globally.
### When Will Hamster Kombat Launch Its Token?
Durov also discussed the upcoming token airdrop for Hamster Kombat, although the exact date remains unconfirmed. The project’s roadmap on its website indicates that onchain infrastructure development and in-game wallet implementation were completed in June.
“Shortly, the Hamster team will mint its token on TON, bringing the advantages of blockchain to a massive audience. A new era is upon us, and we are witnessing its dawn,” Durov wrote.
The official website of Hamster Kombat suggests that in-game token utility will be introduced in July 2024. While the specific launch date for the token is still under wraps, players have been able to link TON wallets in the game since June 2024.
Related: Hamster Kombat Creators: Marketing Geniuses or Modern Satirists?
The game’s developers have actively posted on Telegram, X, and YouTube, emphasizing that profit per hour is a crucial metric for players to consider in anticipation of the token airdrop.
One social media post from Hamster Kombat underscores that in-game profit per hour should be the primary focus for players as the token launch approaches. Source: Hamster Kombat
Following Durov’s announcement about the game, Hamster Kombat revealed that a final level has been added for players’ Hamster avatars. The ‘Creator’ level requires users to amass 18 billion in-game coins.
The 11th and final level for players’ hamster avatars, titled “The Creator”. Source: Hamster Kombat
### Hamster Kombat’s Guinness World Records
As Cointelegraph detailed in an in-depth feature, Hamster Kombat has achieved several world record milestones due to its innovative gaming and social mechanics.
The game offers various ways for players to earn coins, enabling them to upgrade their exchange and increase profit per hour. One method involves watching YouTube content, where players earn 100,000 coins for viewing new videos on its channel.
Related: Hamster Kombat Destined for Guinness World Record?
Hamster Kombat’s YouTube channel is growing faster than Mr. Beast’s, the most subscribed channel worldwide. Cointelegraph also reported that the team has applied for a Guinness World Record for being the first YouTube channel to gain over 10 million subscribers in one week (six days, 13 hours, and 15 minutes), among other subscriber milestones.
### What is Hamster Kombat Anyway?
Hamster Kombat has become the most popular Telegram mini app in the idle game genre. The developers describe it as a “crypto exchange CEO simulator” rather than a “clicker” or “tapper” game.
Players start as a bald hamster who has signed a contract to be the CEO of a cryptocurrency exchange. By tapping the hamster avatar, users generate in-game coins, but the main gameplay involves purchasing exchange upgrades to boost profit per hour.
Cointelegraph extensively played the game for its feature article, increasing its profit per hour to 832,000 coins. As players progress, their hamster CEO gains a more professional appearance.
Players can also earn coins by referring friends to play the game on Telegram or by completing more challenging in-game tasks, such as solving a daily Morse code cipher linked to a secret word in its YouTube videos or buying a specific combination of daily upgrades.
This approach has led to content creators and websites producing daily videos and blog posts to share solutions. Daily ciphers reward 1 million coins, while the daily card combo grants users 5 million coins for upgrades.
### Hamster Kombat as an Income Source?
The game’s success raises intriguing questions about the potential for Web3 games to function as an alternative universal basic income (UBI) mechanism.
While players invest their time in in-game entertainment, Hamster Kombat’s YouTube channel features daily news and cryptocurrency educational content that could introduce core components of Web3 to newcomers.
The project’s social media growth hacking strategy has resulted in remarkable metrics. Hamster Kombat’s YouTube channel has gained 32 million subscribers since its launch on May 24. Its X profile has 11.3 million followers, and its official Telegram channel boasts 49.4 million subscribers.
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