Players of the viral Telegram crypto game Hamster Kombat have been driving a surge in sales of massage guns, which are used to enhance their gameplay by amplifying their screen-tapping abilities.
According to reports from Vedomosti, a leading Russian news outlet, online retailer Wildberries experienced a staggering 179% increase in sales of percussion massagers in June alone.
Similarly, rival site Ozon has witnessed a notable 33% year-over-year rise in sales of these devices throughout June and the early part of July.
Hamster Kombat Players Seek to Maximize Earnings
The surge in demand for massage guns among Hamster Kombat players is attributed to their desire to maximize their in-game coin earnings.
By utilizing the rapid pulsations of the massage guns, players can achieve faster screen taps than they would be capable of achieving manually.
Although this tactic could be seen as a tap-to-earn exploit, it falls short of being classified as cheating.
Percussion massagers for playing “hamster” are being bought en masse in the Russian Federation
The massager is used for Hamster Kombat, a game on Telegram where you need to quickly tap on the screen and for this you are given virtual currency. pic.twitter.com/nljKFbLFsA
— Trending News (@Trend_War_Newss) July 9, 2024
Interestingly, retailers, or more specifically, the resellers on these websites, have taken notice of this emerging trend.
Some massage gun products from the brand RELAXA now feature Hamster Kombat logos stamped onto their product images on Wildberries, embracing the phenomenon while it lasts.
Hamster Kombat has experienced explosive growth in recent weeks, transcending its core base of crypto market users.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov recently announced that the game has attracted a staggering 239 million players in less than three months.
The game’s impact on the real world extends beyond the surge in massage gun sales.
Just last month, Hamster Kombat made headlines when an Iranian official criticized the game, claiming it was part of a “soft war” orchestrated by the West.
The official expressed concerns that the game would distract citizens from participating in the country’s presidential election.
Hamster Kombat is part of a growing collection of Telegram tap-to-earn games that have captivated millions of players over the past couple of months.
The trend was kick-started by the token launch of Notcoin (NOT), and the developers of Hamster Kombat have plans to launch their own token on The Open Network (TON) later this month.
It is worth noting that Telegram’s TON blockchain has been consistently outperforming Ethereum in terms of daily active addresses throughout this month amid the Hamster Kombat craze.
Hamster Kombat Faces Criticism for Social Pressure Tactics
Hamster Kombat has faced scrutiny due to its excessive use of social pressure tactics.
While the game’s viral success has propelled it to unimaginable heights, the mechanics that drive user engagement seem to have reached a saturation point, some analysts have said.
Hamster Kombat frequently introduces new exchange upgrade cards that promise higher earnings.
These cards are often tied to the game’s “daily combo,” which rewards players with a substantial 5 million in-game coins for using specific cards.
However, many of these cards can only be unlocked if players manage to persuade another friend to start playing through their referral link.
While it is a simple “number-go-up” game, players who are unable to increase their numbers due to the requirement of recruiting more people may find themselves at a disadvantage unless they can find additional participants.
The post ‘Hamster Kombat’ Players Drive Boom in Massage Gun Purchases appeared first on Cryptonews.
