With its extensive user base, Telegram’s TON (The Open Network) has quickly become a leader in simple, addictive blockchain games.
Two months ago, Iran's president, Ebrahim Raisi, died in a helicopter crash, prompting a national election. However, according to a senior military official, many Iranians were too engrossed in a crypto game called "Hamster Kombat" to properly vet the candidates.
Launched in March on TON, a Web3 ecosystem built on Telegram, "Hamster Kombat" gained massive popularity. Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Iran’s deputy military chief, even labeled it part of the West’s "soft war" against Iran. "One of the features of the soft war by the enemy is the ‘Hamster’ game," he stated.
The game's founder remains anonymous, but claims over 200 million users, 11 million Twitter/X followers, and 31 million YouTube subscribers. "This has become so big, even politicians started talking about it," said Inal Kardan, Gaming Lead at the TON Foundation.
"Catizen," another popular TON game, has over 23 million users, while "Notcoin," the first major TON success, boasts over 40 million users. Currently, the TON network has 500 million users, and its cryptocurrency, Toncoin, has a market cap of $19.4 billion, making it the eighth largest in the crypto world.
These games appeal due to their simplicity and fun, reaching beyond the usual crypto enthusiasts to mainstream audiences. "This is about normies doing something with blockchain for the very first time," Kardan noted. Telegram’s vast reach, especially in Europe and Asia, plays a significant role, with over 900 million users globally.
Tim Wong, Chairman of Catizen Foundation, saw potential in Telegram and TON early on, describing it as "virgin land." The simplicity and ease of connecting these games to crypto have been key to their success, overcoming the typical clunky interfaces and confusing protocols of the Web3 space.
David Zimmerman, a DeFi analyst, praised TON's user experience (UX) in a research paper, calling it "crypto’s killer app." He noted that TON's games are so intuitive that they require minimal explanation for new users.
Games like "Catizen" and "Hamster Kombat" are designed to be engaging and rewarding, often offering real monetary value through airdrops. This has driven significant user growth, with players eager for future rewards.
However, the success of these games also raises concerns. Critics like Zimmerman draw parallels to the "Axie Infinity" hype, suggesting that sustainability could be an issue. Yet, TON’s backers argue that their model, which includes revenue from advertisers, sets them apart.
Despite these concerns, the growth and impact of TON's games are undeniable, even attracting the attention of international political figures. Whether this momentum is sustainable remains to be seen, but for now, TON's influence in the Web3 gaming space is significant.
Comments