# Decline in Users for Tap-to-Earn Games Despite Cryptocurrency Market Surge
As the cryptocurrency market experiences an upward trend, there is a noteworthy decline in the user base for Telegram-based tap-to-earn games. The primary reasons identified for this downturn are monotonous gameplay and reduced rewards.
Recent Google Trends data indicates that search interest for “tap-to-earn” dropped by approximately 80% between June and December 2024. This suggests a shift in focus among users and investors towards other cryptocurrency-related services.
Leading tap-to-earn games such as “Hamster Combat,” “Notcoin,” and “Catizen” have seen substantial decreases in user numbers. According to the Telegram statistics platform TGStats, “Hamster Combat” lost over three million users in a single month, while “Notcoin” and “Catizen” shed 428,000 and 407,000 users respectively.
On-chain activity mirrored this trend. The TON blockchain, which these games primarily utilize, recorded over one million active wallets per day in September. However, this number dwindled to fewer than 500,000 by December, as reported by TonStats.
The core reason for user attrition appears to be monotonous gameplay. A survey conducted by the platform Chainplay revealed that 51% of 957 respondents cited boring repetitive tasks as their reason for quitting the game. Additionally, decreasing rewards were also pinpointed as a critical issue. More than half of the users expressed dissatisfaction with the perceived inadequacy of reward distribution.
# Reward Issues and Security Concerns Accelerate User Exodus
Game developers are struggling to retain their user base. According to Animoca Brands, even successful projects retain only up to 60% of their peak active users, with some projects retaining as few as 25%.
Security issues and fraud concerns also contribute to user departure. “Hamster Combat” has blocked millions of accounts exploiting the game’s reward system, and security problems, including hacking and cheating, have been cited as grievances by 21.8% of the total user base.
Moreover, the difficulty in cashing out rewards adds to the discontent. Survey results show that 35.9% of users faced inconveniences while trying to convert their rewards into cash.
# New Strategies Needed for Sustainability
There is a growing consensus that tap-to-earn games need to address these fundamental issues to ensure sustainability. Experts suggest that developers should focus on more innovative and engaging gameplay, improving reward systems, enhancing security measures, and simplifying the cash-out process to elevate the user experience.
Despite the growth in the cryptocurrency market, the decline in tap-to-earn games highlights the need for new changes within the market.
