Hamster Kombat Clicker Game Criticized for Use of Social Pressure Tactics

Controversy Surrounds ‘Hamster Kombat’ Clicker Game Over Social Pressure Tactics


By Ruholamin Haqshanas
Published:
June 30, 2024, 12:00 EDT
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Reading Time: 2 min


The widely popular clicker game, Hamster Kombat, which is linked to an upcoming crypto token launch, is under fire for its heavy reliance on social pressure tactics.
Despite its massive success, the game’s mechanics that drive user engagement have come under scrutiny, according to Andrew Hayward, the Culture Editor and Hub Operations Lead at Decrypt.
Hayward expressed concern that the game’s requirement for players to constantly recruit friends in order to progress may become a drawback for the millions of daily participants.
Encouraging Users to Bring in Friends
Similar to the original viral Telegram crypto game, Notcoin, Hamster Kombat tasks players with tapping the screen to collect in-game coins.
It adds a unique element by allowing players to invest these coins in a fictional hamster-run crypto exchange, while also urging them to invite friends to join the game.
However, the game’s focus on recruiting friends has drawn comparisons to multi-level marketing schemes.
Hamster Kombat regularly introduces new exchange upgrade cards that promise higher earnings, often linked to the game’s “daily combo” that rewards players with a generous 5 million in-game coins for using specific cards.
But unlocking many of these cards requires players to convince another friend to start playing through their referral link.
While the game is simple in concept, players who struggle to recruit more players may find themselves at a disadvantage, unable to progress without additional participants.
Hayward pointed out that this shift underscores the challenges of maintaining growth in a game like Hamster Kombat without offering new incentives.
Iranian Players Embrace Hamster Kombat
Notably, Hamster Kombat has gained immense popularity in Iran, capturing the interest of local users awaiting its token launch.
The developers revealed that the game has amassed an impressive 200 million players, a significant portion of Telegram’s reported 900 million users.
This marks an increase from the previous claim of 150 million players on June 14.
The developers plan to launch a token on The Open Network (TON) in July, following the success of Notcoin, which attracted 35 million players before releasing its NOT token in May.
Notcoin achieved a peak market capitalization exceeding $2 billion in the weeks after its launch.
It is worth mentioning that Telegram’s blockchain, The Open Network (TON), has been surpassing Ethereum in daily active addresses this month amidst the frenzy surrounding Hamster Kombat.
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