Hamster Kombat Players Drive Surge in Massage Gun Sales
Players of the viral Telegram crypto game Hamster Kombat have been driving a surge in sales of massage guns, which they use to enhance their gameplay by increasing their screen-tapping speed.
According to reports from Vedomosti, a leading Russian news outlet, the online retailer Wildberries saw a staggering 179% increase in sales of percussion massagers in June alone.
Similarly, competitor site Ozon experienced a notable 33% year-over-year rise in sales of these devices throughout June and early July.
Hamster Kombat Players Aim to Maximize Earnings
The surge in demand for massage guns among Hamster Kombat players is driven by their desire to maximize their in-game coin earnings. Using the rapid vibrations of massage guns, players can achieve faster screen taps than they could manually. Although this tactic may seem like a tap-to-earn exploit, it does not fully constitute cheating.
Interestingly, retailers and resellers have taken note of this trend. Some massage gun products from the brand RELAXA now feature Hamster Kombat logos on their product images on Wildberries, capitalizing on the phenomenon while it lasts.
Hamster Kombat has seen explosive growth in recent weeks, expanding beyond its core base of crypto market users. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov recently announced that the game has attracted an astonishing 239 million players in less than three months. The game's impact on the real world extends beyond the surge in massage gun sales.
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 few months. The trend was initiated by the token launch of Notcoin (NOT), and the developers of Hamster Kombat plan to launch their own token on The Open Network (TON) later this month.
It's worth noting that Telegram’s TON blockchain has consistently outperformed Ethereum in terms of daily active addresses this month amid the Hamster Kombat craze.
Hamster Kombat Faces Criticism for Social Pressure Tactics
Hamster Kombat has faced criticism for its excessive use of social pressure tactics. While the game’s viral success has propelled it to unimaginable heights, some analysts say the mechanics driving user engagement have reached a saturation point.
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 persuade another friend to start playing through their referral link.
Though the game is a simple "number-go-up" game, players who cannot increase their numbers due to the requirement of recruiting more people may find themselves at a disadvantage unless they can recruit additional participants.
