What clicker boom on TON reveals about crypto games, players, and platforms | Opinion

Telegram is no longer just a chat app—it’s a thriving crypto ecosystem with its own affiliated chain, games, and audience. With almost a billion users, Telegram’s endorsement of The Open Network as its “official web3 infrastructure” produces an explosion of blockchain-based mini-apps within the platform, engaging and rewarding players in unprecedented ways. 

The successes are staggering: Notcoin stormed social media, growing a 35 million community, Hamster Kombat is preparing to list its token, and BANANA hit five million users in three weeks. And it’s all happening inside of Telegram.

The meteoric rise of TON clicker games demonstrates the potent combination of massive user bases and incentive-driven gameplay. It’s a testament to the power of game stickiness, user rewards, and platform versatility in web3. And the most exciting part? It is just the beginning.

Tapping into profit: How TON motivates players

You’ve probably heard a lot about TON and Telegram in recent months. At the heart of the hype is how the platform is drawing in hundreds of millions of new gamers with the power of play. Hamster Kombat is a good example, encouraging more than 150 million players to complete tasks and earn in-game currency.

The clicker game concept is deceptively simple yet incredibly engaging. Players tap the screen to earn in-game coins, which—in Hamster Kombat—they can then invest in a fictional hamster-operated crypto exchange. The game incentivizes continued play through daily combos and rewards for inviting friends, creating a powerful feedback loop of engagement, social interaction, and potential real-world earnings.

On this last point, the game is following in the footsteps of Notcoin. Six months after its release, this fellow TON clicker game took a groundbreaking step by introducing its in-game token to real-world exchanges. The result? Some dedicated players found themselves earning several hundreds of dollars for their efforts. This move not only validated the play-to-earn model but also blurred the lines between virtual achievements and tangible financial rewards.

TON’s answer to gaming’s challenges

TON games have taken off this year, and the coin’s market value is going parabolic. According to DefiLlama, ecosystem activity began skyrocketing in late February, with total value locked (TVL) doubling between April and May and then doubling again from May to July.

This rapid growth comes at a crucial time for the industry. Mobile gaming has seen declining returns for two years running despite accounting for nearly half of global gaming revenue. Simultaneously, the costs associated with acquiring new users continue to rise.

TON answers some of these issues for game developers and publishers. By leveraging Telegram’s massive user base, TON provides an almost built-in player population, reducing user acquisition costs. Moreover, TON’s infrastructure not only attracts players but unlocks information on-chain for remarketing and community-building. 

This data-driven approach opens up new possibilities for player engagement and monetization. Platforms like CARV take this a step further by developing modular data layers that empower players to own, control, and monetize their gaming data. This synergy between accessible gaming platforms and user-centric data solutions points to a future where gamers not only play and earn but truly own their digital footprint.

Going forward, easier access to large audiences and tools for fostering long-term engagement, coupled with emerging data ownership models, present a compelling case for continued growth.

Telegram does have some challenges to overcome—like improved ad platform reach and better tech support for developers—but overall, there’s a lot to like about this evolution in gaming.

Redefining platforms: Telegram’s gaming revolution

Blockchain is redefining the very notion of a gaming platform, and Telegram and TON are at the forefront of this revolution. Telegram’s mini apps exemplify this transformation, keeping users engaged on the platform while playing games supported by seamless authorization, integrated crypto and fiat payments, and tailored push notifications.

If the current momentum and infrastructure build-out continue, industry insiders are drawing bold comparisons. They liken Telegram today to Facebook in 2008 and WeChat in 2018—online ecosystems on the cusp of explosive growth. Investors seem to share this assessment. 

In August, HashKey Group announced its partnership with Telegram mini app Catizen to cooperatively develop gamefi products and “global digital entertainment infrastructure.” In the same month, TON Ventures launched with $40 million in funding and plans to invest in early-stage consumer applications in the TON ecosystem.

The best bit? It is just the beginning

Ask game makers and players what they’re excited about in this space, and most will tell you the same thing—this is just the beginning. Despite the record onboarding, the multimillion-dollar games, and the impressive engagement figures, there’s still room to grow.

Telegram commands about 900M monthly active users, and TON counts about 6M monthly active wallets. That’s a sizable gap ripe for exploitation. It should be said that the platform is doing all the right things to break down barriers and encourage adoption. For example, the app introduced Telegram Stars in June, thereby enabling in-app purchases to buy and sell digital goods. Additionally, by introducing wallet functionality to purchase, exchange, and transfer crypto in Telegram, web3 is quietly slipping into hundreds of millions of pockets worldwide.

Some may view the clicker boom with cynicism. After all, these are simple games with simple mechanics. But there’s far more here than meets the eye. To me, this is a window into the future of digital interaction, where social media, gaming, and finance converge to create entirely new paradigms of user engagement and value creation. The lines between crypto, gaming, and platforms aren’t just blurring—they’re disappearing altogether, and the players aren’t just along for the ride—they’re in the driver’s seat.