In the fall of 2023, the integration of the cryptocurrency wallet Wallet into the Telegram messenger became a significant milestone, contributing to the popularization of the TON blockchain and a noticeable increase in network activity. This event gave new impetus to the development and implementation of blockchain technologies among a wide audience. The continuous expansion of partnerships between various projects in the ecosystem also plays a significant role — users can now take advantage of new features such as purchasing usernames in NFT format, which further stimulates interest.
However, despite all the innovations, many believe that the main driving force of growth is gaming mini-applications. These games not only diversify the functionality of the platform but also lay the foundation for social gaming within this ecosystem. Their popularity and influence on users create favorable conditions for further expansion and strengthening of the TON blockchain's positions.
- Social Gaming: Concept and Essence
- Examples of Games on the Telegram Platform
- Features of Gaming Applications
Social Gaming: Concept and Essence
Social gaming refers to a category of gaming projects accessible through social platforms and communication applications. Examples of such games include Diamond Dash on Facebook and poker games on Discord.
These games are generally browser-based and embedded in the social network's interface. Their main distinction is expanding the audience through the player's contact base. In simple terms, social games spread because users publicly demonstrate their results and invite friends for joint leisure, receiving additional rewards for this.
Many believe that such projects can become a powerful tool for attracting new users to the crypto industry. They offer a simple and convenient interface for interacting with digital assets, and successful applications in this category already have tens of millions of users.
The table below reveals the essence of social gaming. It describes the main aspects of this phenomenon, such as platforms, types of games, ways of audience expansion, examples of popular games, and interaction features.
Aspect Description Platforms Social networks and messengers (Facebook, Discord, Telegram) Types of Games Browser-based games embedded in the social network interface Audience Expansion Spreading through the user's contact base, public demonstrations of results, and inviting friends Examples of Games Diamond Dash, poker games Interaction Joint leisure, receiving additional rewards Web3 Influence Use of tokens, NFTs, and support for transactions in TON User Base Tens of millions of users Attraction to Crypto Simple and convenient interface for interacting with digital assets
It is important to note that such projects play a significant role in popularizing the crypto industry, offering a simple and convenient interface for interacting with digital assets and expanding the audience through social interactions and joint gaming experiences.
Examples of Games on the Telegram Platform
The ability to use social gaming for Web3 development is largely tied to the close integration of the blockchain with the messenger. Mini-applications created in the TON ecosystem can gain priority access to Telegram's advertising platform, assistance in fundraising through Tonstarter, and the right to participate in various grant programs such as The Open League.
These preferences are not limited to gaming applications, but at present, they attract the most users in Telegram. This increases their chances of receiving grants and ecosystem support. Let's look at some of the most popular projects in the social gaming sphere within the TON ecosystem.
- Notcoin
Notcoin is the most popular Web3 game in Telegram, launched in early 2024. The application is a classic "clicker" that allows players to earn rewards by tapping the screen. The gameplay also includes additional elements such as boosters, incentives for attracting new users, and the ability to create your own "squads".
In May 2024, Notcoin launched the NOT token, converting user points into digital assets on the TON blockchain. This change allowed the team to revise the format of gaming activities. On June 9, 2024, developers announced that the project had reached 40 million registered accounts, making it one of the largest mini-applications in Telegram.
- Catizen
Catizen became the winner of the fourth season of The Open League initiative, aimed at supporting mini-application developers. In June 2024, the project attracted nearly 10 million Telegram users and reached 250,000 monthly active users (UAW). However, on July 24, Pavel Durov reported 26 million Catizen users.
The key feature of Catizen is its more diverse gameplay compared to other "clickers", as well as a development team with experience in creating applications for WeChat and Android devices. Catizen, like Notcoin, uses the Play-to-Airdrop concept with a future token launch, but players can already receive NFTs and in-game assets.
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YesCoin
YesCoin offers a gaming project in the style of Notcoin, replacing the "clicker" mechanics with a "swiper". To receive rewards, users need to swipe their finger across the screen, collecting in-game YES points.
In other aspects, YesCoin partially or fully copies the concept of its predecessor, including boosters, a referral program, and plans for a token launch. Despite the lack of original mechanics, in the fourth season of The Open League, YesCoin managed to take second place, attracting nearly 15 million users and reaching 141,000 UAW.
Besides the listed ones, there are dozens of other gaming mini-applications, many of which are connected to the TON blockchain. These games can be found in the built-in marketplace "Telegram Apps Center", which appeared in the client update on July 31, 2024.
Features of Gaming Applications
Unlike most other social platforms, gaming applications in Telegram can use both traditional and Web3 tools to expand their audience, creating a cumulative effect. Users of the messenger are attracted by:
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Incentivization and reward expectations. Many gaming projects, following the example of Notcoin, use a Play-to-Airdrop strategy, promising to convert in-game assets into tradable tokens. This creates an incentive system that is generally absent in traditional games.
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Social component. Leaderboards, referral links, "squads", "villages", and other elements of social interaction increase user engagement and create a "competitive spirit". In the case of Web3 gaming, this factor is enhanced by real financial rewards.
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Simple gameplay. Most mini-applications in Telegram use simple and understandable game mechanics. They require minimal effort from users, offering "recreational" gaming, and are relatively inexpensive to implement.
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Application accessibility. Telegram is used by more than 950 million people, most of whom can launch their favorite game at any moment directly in the mobile or desktop client of the messenger. There is no need to download anything or create new accounts — just open the application.
As the audience becomes more involved in the Web3 ecosystem and more convenient tools for interacting with digital assets emerge, the demand for other mini-applications related to blockchain will grow. An example of such an application is Ton Gas Pump, a service for launching meme coins on the TON network, which attracted 225,000 unique wallets in less than two months of operation.
Nevertheless, at the moment, it is gaming projects that provide the widest reach due to their simplicity and accessibility to users unfamiliar with the crypto industry.
Gaming mini-applications in Telegram on the TON platform play a key role in popularizing Web3 technologies and attracting new users to the crypto industry. Thanks to the integration of blockchain with the messenger, projects like Notcoin, Catizen, and YesCoin demonstrate impressive results, attracting millions of users and creating unique opportunities for interacting with digital assets.
In addition to gaming applications, Telegram provides a platform for the development of other Web3 services, such as decentralized exchanges and lending protocols, which indicates the great potential of the TON ecosystem. In the future, with the development of convenient tools for working with digital assets, we can expect further growth and diversity of mini-applications offering new opportunities for users.
Ultimately, the integration of Web3 tools and social interactions into the Telegram gaming industry creates a powerful cumulative effect that helps promote blockchain and cryptocurrencies among millions of users worldwide.
