Hamster Kombat: Hype Fades, Players Leave, Token Crashes

• Hamster Kombat’s monthly active users declined from 300 million to just 41 million.
• The users felt betrayed by the app’s HMSTR airdrop as it contradicted their expectations.
• The HMSTR token fell by 76% from its high of $0.009993 to a low of $0.002392

Hamster Kombat, the once-viral Telegram-based crypto game, has hit a snag , losing nearly 260 million monthly active players since August. The game’s user base is down from a peak of 300 million to just 41 million. In parallel, the HMSTR token has crashed 76% from its launch price of $0.009993, hitting a low of $0.002392.

Launched in March 2024, Hamster Kombat quickly rose in popularity, gaining over 300 million users within five months. The app saw incredible early adoption, with 4 to 5 million new users joining daily. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov even praised Hamster Kombat as “the fastest-growing digital service in the world.”

From Viral Sensation to a Mass Exodus

However, the game’s popularity quickly faded due to its poor AI art and repetitive gameplay. It simply couldn’t hold onto its massive player base. Reports from Nigeria reveal widespread disappointment among users who felt misled by Hamster Kombat’s HMSTR token airdrop on September 26, 2024. Asset manager Vanguard stated in a blog post , “Instead of the life-changing payouts that were promised, users received a paltry 1 to 4 dollars.”

Adding to the frustration, the airdrop faced multiple delays. Most users reportedly sold their tokens for single-digit figures, far below their initial expectations. Furthermore, the app’s anti-cheat system triggered 2.3 million allegedly unjustified bans and the confiscation of 6.8 billion HMSTR tokens.

Read also: Hamster Kombat Token Crashes 39%: What Happened to HMSTR?

Controversy continued to swirl around Hamster Kombat as it drew criticism from the Iranian government. Iran’s military deputy chief accused the game of being a “soft tool” used by Western forces to undermine the country’s religious government and distract voters from the election. Similarly, Russia’s State Duma Committee chairman labeled Hamster Kombat a scam and advocated for its ban.

Meanwhile, the HMSTR token’s sharp decline has exacerbated panic among the community. As of press time, HMSTR is trading at $0.002368, with a 24-hour dip of 0.62%. The token has seen grave falls of 17% and 49% over the last week and month, respectively.