In past lives, I have been a city planner, a crime boss and a CEO at a thriving crypto exchange. On Telegram, that is.
The Rise of Web3 Gaming on Telegram
Why I enjoy job cosplay is a question for my therapist. But it’s fascinating how many Web3 games explore these real-life roles. And it’s great the rewards are starting to be worth more bragging rights among your friends.
Building Virtual Worlds
I lost endless amounts of time building my Sims town in the early-2000s, where I grew a small village into a bustling metropolis on my underpowered Windows95 desktop. I had to think through power management and food supply routes and whether or not a stadium was necessary for tax revenue to support a few more parks.
The Influence of Social Media on Gaming
Fast-forward to 2009 and I am living my best Tony Soprano life with two baseball bats, a Tommy Gun, and enough property to make me one hundred and seven thousand dollars every 54 minutes in virtual currency. What “Mob Wars” had that The Sims didn’t was the network-effect power of the Facebook recommendation feed. That you could see the moves that your friends were making made you want to join into the game, and the exponential effect kept rolling and rolling.
Telegram: The Next Gaming Platform
Telegram has learned some lessons from the original social media platforms, and added new modes of gamification appealing to the insatiable gambler mindset of the crypto crowd. Telegram, which has 900 million monthly users, is proving that gaming could be to be the next big player/customer acquisition platform to help grow a blockchain-forward business.
Hamster Kombat: The Latest Craze
The most recent entrant to catch fire in this schema is Hamster Kombat. In just over four weeks, the app has grown to over 8 million players, with more than 3 million playing daily.
Interview with Nikita Anufriev
I contacted Nikita Anufriev, a marketing advisor to Hamster Kombat and host of a popular Russian language crypto channel on Youtube. Anufriev confirmed that the project was launched on March 25 of this year and it took just 11 days to reach 1 million players.
How Will This Affect Me?
The rise of Web3 gaming on platforms like Telegram could provide new opportunities for entertainment and engagement within the crypto community. By participating in games like Hamster Kombat, individuals may have the chance to earn rewards and grow their virtual businesses, all while connecting with friends and influencers.
How Will This Affect the World?
The integration of gaming and social media on platforms like Telegram has the potential to shape the way businesses approach customer acquisition and engagement. As more users join gaming communities and interact with virtual worlds, the concept of gamification could become a powerful tool for marketing in the digital age.
Conclusion
As the world of Web3 gaming continues to evolve, it’s clear that platforms like Telegram are at the forefront of this innovation. The success of games like Hamster Kombat demonstrates the potential for gamification to not only entertain but also engage and reward users in new and exciting ways. Whether you’re a crypto enthusiast or simply looking for a fun and interactive experience, the rise of Web3 gaming is something to keep an eye on.
