Tap-to-earn games have dominated the crypto gaming industry this year, attracting millions of players through Telegram mini apps. Consequently, The Open Network (TON), the blockchain associated with Telegram and where most tap-to-earn games have launched their tokens, has seen a surge in popularity.
However, Jack Booth, co-founder of TON Society, an organization focused on TON community operations, believes that tap-to-earn should be viewed not only as a gaming mechanic but also as an effective way to introduce products to users.
According to Booth, the next trend will be projects using the viral mechanic of tap-to-earn as a launch strategy rather than it being an entire sector of crypto. Tap-to-earn games typically go through a “mining phase” where in-game progress contributes to a future airdrop. During this phase, players are incentivized to interact with social media, invite others to play, and try out partner games and projects.
This viral mechanic has led tap-to-earn projects to attract hundreds of millions of users. For example, Hamster Kombat had over 300 million players months before its airdrop, and Notcoin, the game that started the craze, had the most successful crypto gaming token launch of the year, reaching a peak market cap just under $3 billion.
However, the challenge lies in what comes after the airdrop. Some tap-to-earn games have relaunched with a new mining phase, while others have pivoted to become hubs for launching other games and projects. However, the lack of clarity about the roadmap after the token launch has caused some gamers to lose interest, resulting in a drop in token prices.
Booth believes that future innovation in TON will focus on providing clearer roadmaps after token launches. He cites Blum as an example of this approach. Blum currently has a Telegram mini app that incorporates viral mechanics from other tap-to-earn games while working on launching a decentralized exchange (DEX). This strategy has garnered Blum a large following on Telegram, YouTube, and Twitter.
Booth sees this as the future of tap-to-earn, where companies will use the viral mechanic to build a large community before launching a more robust product. It is a cost-effective way to acquire users and gain momentum. During the TON Hackers League, Booth met individuals who were implementing tap-to-earn mechanics in their Telegram-based projects, such as an AI trading bot and a gig marketplace similar to Fiverr.
In conclusion, tap-to-earn is not just a gaming mechanic but a launch strategy that allows companies to gather a significant user base before introducing their products. The viral mechanic of tap-to-earn can be utilized in every app on TON, providing a million users from the start, and it’s up to each app to convert them on-chain.
Note: TON Society’s role in the ecosystem was clarified after the publication of this article.