Iranians Flock to Telegram-Based Crypto Game Hamster Kombat Ahead of Token Launch

Telegram-based crypto game Hamster Kombat has taken Iran by storm, drawing the attention of local users who eagerly anticipate its upcoming token launch.

According to an Associated Press report on Monday, the game’s popularity has been on the rise as players flock to this simple tap-to-earn game.

Hamster Kombat revolves around players tapping the screen to oversee a fictional crypto exchange, assuming the role of a hamster CEO.

The game’s developers announced on Monday that it has amassed a staggering 200 million players, a substantial portion of the reported 900 million Telegram users.

The figure represents an increase from the claimed total of 150 million players reported on June 14.

gm to 200 million Hamsters! 😱🐹 pic.twitter.com/7USoL6Lddd

— Hamster Kombat (@hamster_kombat) June 24, 2024

While internal data shared via screenshots supports these numbers, they cannot be independently verified through public sources.

Hamster Kombat’s Social Media Followings Surge

Hamster Kombat’s growing popularity is evident from its surging social media followings, including the largest Telegram channel with nearly 44 million subscribers—more than twice the size of the next-largest channel, which belongs to rival game TapSwap.

The game has also witnessed significant growth on platforms like YouTube and Twitter, reinforcing the notion that the game is experiencing explosive growth.

However, the Iranian government appears to be displeased with this phenomenon.

As Iranians tap away on their phones in search of crypto rewards, some government officials perceive it as undue Western influence, especially as Iranians grapple with high inflation, limited employment opportunities, and Western sanctions.

“One of the features of the soft war by the enemy is the ‘Hamster’ game,” Iran’s deputy military chief Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari said in an interview with the state-run IRNA news agency.

Sayyari speculated that Western forces are attempting to divert Iranians’ attention from the upcoming presidential election and the plans of the presidential candidates.

Iran is scheduled to elect a new president this Friday, following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.

A state-run daily newspaper, JameJam, also criticized the growing interest in Hamster Kombat, arguing that the game fosters the notion of becoming rich overnight and attaining wealth effortlessly.

“A society that instead of working and trying to succeed and earn money turns to such games and looks for shortcuts and windfalls gradually loses the culture of effort and entrepreneurship, and moves towards convenience,” the newspaper added, as reported by the AP.

Hamster Kombat to Launch Token in July

Hamster Kombat’s developers have announced their plans to launch a token on The Open Network (TON) in July.

The game follows in the footsteps of Notcoin, a similar “clicker” game that debuted earlier this year and attracted 35 million players before releasing its NOT token on TON in May.

Notcoin experienced a peak market capitalization surpassing $2 billion in the weeks following its launch.

However, the price of the NOT token has since fallen by 52% after reaching an all-time high on June 2.

It is worth noting that Telegram’s “The Open Network” (TON) blockchain has been consistently outperforming Ethereum in terms of daily active addresses throughout this month amid the Hamster Kombat craze.