Étienne Girard
The tap-to-earn Telegram game Hamster Kombat has seen a dramatic drop in popularity and active users, signaling a steep decline in its player base. Once hailed as one of the world’s largest games with over 300 million users just a few months ago, Hamster now reports only around 41 million active players—an 86% decrease, according to recent data shared by crypto media outlet Protos.
Hamster Kombat’s Rapid Rise
Initially, Hamster Kombat launched with the ambitious goal of bridging traditional gaming with blockchain technology. Its unique gameplay and integration with Telegram, which had an established user base, spurred an impressive surge in popularity. Telegram’s CEO earlier this year described Hamster as possibly “the fastest-growing digital service in the world,” positioning it as a prime example of blockchain’s potential to reach a mainstream audience.
User Dissatisfaction and Controversies Impact Popularity
Despite its initial success, Hamster Kombat’s momentum appears short-lived, with multiple issues contributing to its decline. Key among them is the game’s token economy, which fell short of players’ expectations for meaningful rewards. This disappointment led many to feel let down after investing significant time and effort into the game.
Additionally, Hamster implemented strict anti-cheat measures, leading to over 2.3 million accounts being banned and the seizure of 6.8 billion in-game tokens (HMSTR). Affected users voiced dissatisfaction, claiming they had been unfairly targeted, which may have fueled further exits from the platform.
Government scrutiny also added to Hamster Kombat’s troubles. Authorities in Iran and Russia expressed concerns about the game’s influence on youth. Iranian officials viewed it as a distraction from civic duties, while a Russian lawmaker criticized the game as potentially fraudulent and called for its ban.
HMSTR, has also suffered, plummeting over 76% from its peak in September, from $0.009993 to $0.002347. This drop has made the platform less attractive to those hoping to earn money through gameplay.
With these challenges, Hamster’s future in the gaming and blockchain space remains uncertain, as it faces ongoing hurdles to regain its former status.
