In the spring, Hamster Kombat released and quickly captured the attention of millions across the globe. Tens of millions of people clicked to try their luck, hoping to win real money. Oleg Lupikov, co-founder of TONLAB, a startup studio focused on launching web3 services on Telegram, and a blockchain expert, spoke with socialbites.ca and warned that the game may not live up to players’ financial expectations.
The surge in popularity stems from a win-win premise that promises tangible rewards for interacting with the hamster. Players can earn tokens, a digital currency used within blockchain ecosystems, for various in-game activities. This structure appeals to those drawn to the idea of earning while they play, leveraging the lure of crypto incentives to keep people engaged.
Developers have signaled plans to introduce their own cryptocurrency. Players would receive tokens based on their activities inside the app. Yet, details on how distributions will occur remain unclear. Many participants hope that rewards will scale with the amount of virtual money circulating inside the game, though this is not guaranteed.
Withdrawal of funds from Hamster Kombat has not yet been available. An airdrop and a formal listing on crypto exchanges are anticipated for the summer, but delays have occurred. Those delays may reflect a combination of technical hurdles and strategic efforts to build a larger audience, ready exchanges, and staking mechanisms to ensure liquidity and smooth token flow.
Lupikov emphasized that, from a risk perspective, players stand nothing to lose beyond the time invested. If the token never lists on an exchange, participants could be left with virtual money rather than real funds. He cautions readers against over-optimism and urges careful consideration before diving too deeply into the project.
Earlier coverage by socialbites.ca explored whether money can be earned from Hamster Kombat and similar clicker-style games on Telegram, offering broader context on these kinds of online opportunities and their potential pitfalls for audiences in Canada and the United States.