Many Telegram-based games have shot to popularity this year with the promise of in-game progression resulting in a share of a future crypto token airdrop. For some of those games, the time to launch a token is upon us, with dates set and gamers itching for their share of the pie.
From crypto exchange-building tap-to-earn game Hamster Kombat to combat-centric clicker Rocky Rabbit and others alongside, these Telegram mini apps have made waves through the industry. But now it's time for these projects’ respective tokens to start a new wave.
Will these games stay relevant after their tokens launch? Some may reinvent themselves as Notcoin did after the largest gaming token launch of the year, while others may well fade into obscurity. But for now, these are the most-hyped Telegram gaming token launches on the horizon, listed in date order.
Catizen
Date: September 20
The Catizen token, CATI, will officially launch on September 20 and be listed on exchanges including Bybit and Bitget. The announcement came on September 5, following a delay from the original target of July.
Developer Pluto Studio began the airdrop process on September 14, revealing the airdrop allocations to players, as well as letting them transfer those allocations to certain centralized exchanges ahead of the token generation event (TGE). Those tokens will then become tradable on the 20th, plus players who opt to take their airdrops directly to a wallet can do so at that time. Catizen is also allowing players to instead stake their earned tokens for future rewards.
Rocky Rabbit
Date: September 23
Rocky Rabbit has attracted over 25 million players that are clicking their screens, collecting coins so they can train up their furry fighter. And the airdrop is fast approaching: On September 23, the project will launch its RabBitcoin (RBTC) token on The Open Network (TON), with the token reportedly hitting major exchanges on that date.
In a Telegram update on September 14, the developers noted that allocations will be distributed to players on September 22 ahead of trading opening up on the 23rd. All players will be eligible for the airdrop, but the game is asking players to complete three tasks by the 19th: Connect a wallet, make a transaction of 0.5 TON (about $2.80 worth as of this writing), and subscribe to the official game channel.
The developers say that they will cover all network fees and credit them to players' wallets. "Users who finish the tasks earliest will be prioritized when the airdrop launches," it adds.
WatBird
Date: September 23
WatBird, a game developed by Animoca Brands' GAMEE ecosystem, will launch its WatCoin (WAT) token via TON on September 23 and offer an airdrop claim to players. The mining period ends on September 15, which means there's little time left to hop in and start earning towards the upcoming drop.
Hamster Kombat
Date: September 26
Hamster Kombat sees players furiously tapping their screens as they attempt to build their own crypto exchange empire… as a fuzzy rodent. The game has been a raging success, garnering over 300 million players and the largest Telegram channel in the world.
With this, fans are excited for the launch and airdrop of its HMSTR token taking place on September 26. This comes after the token launch was delayed in July as the team required additional preparation time. The token will be launched on TON, the same blockchain that Notcoin’s successful launch took place on.
Hamster Kombat will allow players to have their airdrops sent directly to several centralized exchanges, aiming to take some of the pressure off of on-chain claims, though it will also be possible to simply claim tokens to a self-custody wallet. The developers are also holding a Launchpool rewards campaign with Binance, offering 3 billion tokens (out of a supply of 100 billion tokens) to Binance customers who stake BNB or FDUSD.
The game's team has shared details on the factors that will play into each player's airdrop allocation, including how much passive in-game income you've generated, how many other players you've invited into the game, and more. Click here for more details on the airdrop and allocation factors.
X Empire
Date: September/October 2024
X Empire, formerly known as Musk Empire, announced that its mining phase will end on September 30. The end of its mining phase will be one of the final major steps before the airdrop, echoing a similar move from Notcoin, meaning that the token can’t be too far away.
The Elon Musk-themed Telegram crypto game has been teasing a token airdrop for the end of September or early October. Recently the project said it had started burning the in-game coins of players that hadn’t played for 30 days or more, to ensure that dedicated players get a larger share—and surely to motivate any lapsed players, too.
Ahead of the airdrop, X Empire briefly allowed players to mint pre-market trading voucher NFTs, once more echoing a move from Notcoin before it. Each voucher is worth 69,000 X tokens, out of a total supply of 690 billion tokens, but the game still has not revealed how each player's allocation is being determined.
MemeFi
Date: October 9
MemeFi is a tap-to-earn combat game that finds players beating up giant bosses inspired by the likes of Pepe and the Doge. Unlike the other games on this list, MemeFi is being built on Ethereum scaling network Linea rather than TON.
The airdrop will take place on October 9, which is when the development team says the MEMEFI token will be listed on “several top tier” exchanges. How players' token allocations will be determined has not been decided yet, but a “public airdrop checker” will be available prior to the event.
TapSwap
Date: Q3 2024
TapSwap is yet another clicker game that racked up tens of millions of players in recent months. In a recent move, the game added a new city builder mode called Tappy Town that lets you upgrade and enhance numerous buildings to unlock additional rewards.
The project’s token launch and airdrop on TON have been confirmed, with the team eyeing up a Q3 rollout as it shapes the tokenomics and has conversations with “tier 1 exchanges.”
Edited by Andrew Hayward
Editor's note: This story was originally posted on September 3, 2024 and last updated with new details on September 14.