Hamster Kombat Faces Trouble in Iran

Hamster Kombat has sparked outrage among Iranian officials as locals flock to the game.

Hamster Kombat Faces Major Issues in Iran. Photo: Decrypt

Is Hamster Kombat a "Soft Power" Tool of the West? According to the Associated Press, Iranian officials are voicing their opposition to the Tap-to-Earn game, Hamster Kombat.

Specifically, Iranian Deputy Commander-in-Chief Habibollah Sayyari criticized the game as a "soft power" tool of the West, aiming to distract the populace from the upcoming presidential election in Persia.

Soft power, first introduced in 1990, describes the ability to achieve desired outcomes through influence rather than force.

These criticisms come after millions of Iranians turned to Hamster Kombat to earn money amidst "hyperinflation" and the approaching presidential election on June 28.

The JameJam news agency echoed the government's stance, warning that the game represents the dangerous trend of "getting rich without working"—seeking wealth through laziness.

"A society that turns to such games, seeking fortune through shortcuts instead of working and striving for success, will erode its culture of effort and entrepreneurship." The controversy has also caught the attention of Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, who condemned cryptocurrency as "a source of many abuses" and urged people to stay away from Bitcoin-related games like Hamster Kombat.

It's easy to see why Iranians are drawn to Hamster Kombat. With Western sanctions, high inflation, and job shortages, many Iranians struggle to make ends meet. A significant portion has turned to crypto, showing interest in central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Hamster Kombat is viewed as a "lifeline" for them.

Hamster Kombat Continues to Attract Users Hamster Kombat is a web3 game played directly on Telegram, gaining popularity due to its extremely passive income mechanism—just click to mine coins.

Each user acts as a CEO, logging in daily and completing tasks to accumulate more coins. The project has yet to release its official token.

Despite its somewhat monotonous gameplay, the game boasts a massive fan base. The current user count has reached 200 million, out of Telegram's total 900 million users.

Many compare Hamster Kombat's current status to the once-popular game Axie Infinity, which allowed players to earn $1,300 per month—a significant amount for people in developing countries.

According to the Hamster Kombat development team, the game will release its token on The Open Network (TON) in July. Last month, Notcoin made a sensational debut on this ecosystem. The clicker game similar to Hamster Kombat attracted 35 million players before the NOT token launch.