According to the Notcoin team, the tap-to-earn format has lost its grip on players. Major projects like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat are seeing a decline in engagement and are rethinking their strategies. The focus is now shifting toward more "game-like" and less speculative formats.
Notcoin Abandons the Old Model
At the Token2049 conference in Dubai, Notcoin co-founders Sasha and Vladimir Plotvinov, along with head of design Uliana Salo, stated that the tap-to-earn format is dead.
According to Vladimir Plotvinov, this genre failed to maintain user interest, and the market is now moving toward games where earning is a supplement — not the primary goal.
Notcoin became one of the most prominent Web3 projects on Telegram in 2024. The game reached 30 million users in just three months. However, the developers admitted that most users joined to "farm" tokens, not for gameplay. This undermined the sustainability of the format.
Telegram Looks for a New Formula
Alexander Plotvinov explained that users quickly hopped between games, extracting maximum rewards from each before moving on. The Notcoin team now sees potential in projects focused on social interaction and gameplay rather than profit.
He stated that Web3 will remain a part of the Telegram ecosystem, but it will be perceived as a supplementary feature rather than the main attraction.
Vladimir also pointed out that artificial intelligence has become a powerful aid for developers by accelerating coding. However, he emphasized the importance of expertise: projects must consider API functionality, scalability, and high load capacity to be viable.
Uliana Salo compared Telegram to WeChat and Facebook, which have already developed their own gaming ecosystems. In her view, the platform has similar user potential but lacks major publishers and investors. She believes Telegram games will continue to grow, especially if they become genuinely entertaining rather than just earning schemes.
Hamster Kombat Loses Users and Trust
A prime example of the format’s decline is the game Hamster Kombat. In August 2024, it attracted 300 million users. However, after the unsuccessful launch of the second season, users began leaving en masse. By November 2024, active players dropped to 39 million. The HMSTR token price fell 74,2% — from $0.01004 to the current $0.00258.
Mass disappointment was fueled by a modest airdrop and, according to users, an unfair token distribution. It later emerged that a significant portion of tokens had been awarded to influencers for bringing in referrals.
Despite efforts to revive the project — including a new season, leveling mechanics, and new games — the team failed to regain user interest. Hamster Kombat's team announced plans to build their own ecosystem, but user trust may already be irreparably damaged.
No Official Conclusions, but the Trend Is Clear
Although Notcoin has yet to name specific upcoming projects, the team believes that Telegram gaming can reach a new level. However, it will no longer be about tapping for tokens, but about genuinely engaging gameplay.
Earlier, the Blum team, another tap-to-earn project announced a Token Generation Event (TGE) planned for spring 2025. Users had been anticipating the token launch since late last year, but the timeline has been repeatedly pushed back.
It now appears that the delays are linked to the unstable market environment. Despite official statements about preparing for the TGE, the project has not provided any concrete dates, which is causing frustration among community members.
The ongoing postponements are putting audience loyalty at risk, with many users fearing that the delays could become a recurring issue. Amid declining interest in the tap-to-earn genre, this could further weaken Blum's position in the market.
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