Next Telegram Gaming Boom Will Come From Reinventing Classics: ‘Notcoin’ Founders

Telegram recreation Notcoin kick-started final 12 months’s tap-to-earn revolution that amassed a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands of gamers on the messaging app, however enthusiasm for the mannequin has since dwindled following underwhelming token launches tied to more and more overcomplicated schemes.

Now, a 12 months after Notcoin’s NOT token launch sparked the frenzy, the sport’s founders consider that reinventing basic video video games through its recently launched Not Games platform will immediate the following Telegram gaming growth.

Sasha Plotvinov, co-founder of Notcoin, informed Decrypt that he believes that demand for tap-to-earn video games didn’t considerably enhance after Notcoin’s launch, despite the fact that the variety of video games on supply grew exponentially. This oversaturation of the market, he mentioned, is the principle purpose why he believes the tap-to-earn genre died out so quickly.

On prime of saturation, tap-to-earn video games had monotonous gameplay loops consisting of mindlessly tapping your display to earn in-game factors. This was all performed within the pursuit of a future airdrop, which more and more disappointed participants as a rule.

As such, Sasha and his brother and fellow Notcoin co-founder Vladimir Plotvinov consider that the way forward for Telegram gaming will probably be specializing in the gameplay above token reward schemes.

“We’re taking a look at 10, 15, 20 years again… for examples of video games that have been well-liked as a result of individuals simply wished to play them,” Sasha informed Decrypt at Token2049 in Dubai this week. “And we simply take these mechanics and attempt to replicate this in a brand new format, and in addition introduce the second layer of [a crypto] financial system.”

Studying from the tap-to-earn wave, the co-founders consider that making a sustainable financial system through its Not Games platform is essential this time round—attributable to the truth that most tap-to-earn token costs plummeted after their respective launches.

These economies will make the most of The Open Network (TON) to permit gamers to commerce skins and different cosmetics on an open market. Sasha harassed that they wish to keep away from “pay-to-win” mechanics in any respect prices.

Sasha seems on the Counter-Strike pores and skin financial system, which is estimated to be value $4.2 billion, and thinks that Telegram gaming wants this too. He factors to the massive success of cell video games like Sweet Crush Saga and Conflict of Clans, and believes {that a} sustainable financial system is the apparent subsequent step for the business.

However why do that all on Telegram?

“It’s a lot simpler. If you wish to play a basic recreation, you have to get it on the App Retailer and obtain it,” Vladimir informed Decrypt. “In Telegram, you don’t need to register as a result of you have already got an account—you’ll be able to simply open the online app and play in a single second.”

With this ease of use additionally comes elevated potential for social virality, which prompted a lot of the rise of tap-to-earn gaming as devs inspired customers to ask friends in trade for in-game rewards. Uliana Salo, head of design and product lead for Not Video games, believes that reinvented classics may benefit from this Telegram characteristic.

In 2024, WeChat claimed that 500 million customers have been enjoying in-app video games on its platform every month. Sasha desires Not Video games to be positioned for the same degree of potential success on Telegram, with the app just lately hitting 1 billion energetic customers.

“Telegram permits anybody from anyplace on the planet to only push a button and [play a game],” he mentioned. “From that perspective, I don’t see a purpose why Telegram gaming wouldn’t succeed.”

To assist Telegram obtain its gaming future, Not Video games will proceed to reinvent basic video video games on the messaging app. Not Video games’ first try is a reinvention of the basic in-browser recreation Agar.io, referred to as Void, however extra video games are within the works.

The Plotvinov brothers didn’t count on Notcoin’s viral success, saying that its success got here virtually too rapidly to understand. From this expertise, they realized that you simply don’t need to ship an ideal product to realize notoriety. As an alternative, they plan to launch good concepts rapidly, and keep agile when receiving consumer suggestions. That’s the technique behind Not Video games.

“We’ll transfer this manner,” Vladimir mentioned. “Typically I meet with builders who’re making an attempt to construct rockets, nevertheless it’s actually not needed. You may make a small batch of options, launch it, see it, get suggestions, and work with it.”

Edited by Andrew Hayward