Hamster Kombat Faces Criticism in Iran

Iran Criticizes Tap-to-Earn Game Hamster Kombat

According to the Associated Press, Iranian officials are vehemently opposing the Tap-to-Earn game Hamster Kombat. The Deputy Commander of the Iranian Armed Forces, Habibollah Sayyari, has criticized the game, labeling it as a “soft power” tool used by the West to distract the public from the upcoming presidential election.

Soft Power, a concept first introduced in 1990, describes the ability to achieve desired outcomes through influence and persuasion rather than by force. These criticisms arise amidst a surge of Iranian citizens flocking to Hamster Kombat to earn money in the face of “hyperinflation” and with the presidential election on June 28 approaching rapidly.

The state-run news agency JameJam echoed the government’s stance, warning that the game embodies the perilous trend of “earning without effort,” or seeking wealth without working for it.

“A society that turns to games like these, seeking quick fortunes instead of working hard and striving for success, will see its culture of effort and entrepreneurship diminish,” the news agency stated.

The controversy has also caught the attention of Iran’s religious leader, Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, who condemned cryptocurrencies as “the source of much abuse” and urged people to avoid Bitcoin-related games like Hamster Kombat.

It’s not hard to understand why Hamster Kombat has become so popular among Iranians. With Western sanctions, high inflation, and widespread unemployment, many Iranians are struggling to make ends meet. A significant number have turned to cryptocurrencies and are beginning to explore Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). Hamster Kombat is seen by many as a “lifeline.”

Related: Will Hamster Kombat be Listed on Binance or OKX?

Hamster Kombat Continues to Attract Users

Hamster Kombat is a web3 game played directly on Telegram, gaining popularity for its idle earning mechanism that allows players to accumulate coins simply by clicking. Users are akin to CEOs who log in daily to complete tasks and accumulate more coins. As of now, the project has yet to release its official token.

Despite its simple gameplay, Hamster Kombat boasts a massive following, with the current user count reaching 200 million, compared to Telegram’s total user base of 900 million.

Many people draw parallels between Hamster Kombat and the once-renowned game Axie Infinity, which provided players with an income of $1,300 per month—a significant amount for people in developing countries.

The Hamster Kombat development team has announced plans to launch its token on The Open Network (TON) in July. Last month, Notcoin made a notable debut in this ecosystem, with its clicker game, similar to Hamster Kombat, attracting 35 million players ahead of the NOT token launch.