‘Hamster Kombat’ Telegram Game Launches Its Own TON Layer-2 Network

Hit Telegram crypto game Hamster Kombat now has its own layer-2 chain, The Hamster Network, which launched on The Open Network (TON) on Tuesday.

The new network is said to provide fast and scalable infrastructure for games and other apps, with “negligible cost per transaction.” Developed in collaboration with TON, the Hamster Network is designed to help bring more of Telegram’s nearly one billion users into the crypto world via interactive mini apps and games.

“Hamster Network is powered by the TON Virtual Machine, and its smart contracts are fully compatible with TON, making it seamless for developers to port their dapps,” the announcement states, adding that transaction proofs from the layer-2 are posted back to TON.

The network launches with infrastructure including a wallet, a bridge for moving assets, and a dedicated decentralized exchange or DEX. The creators of Hamster Kombat said that multiple developers are already building apps for the platform, though no details were shared.

Hamster Network is inviting users to participate in Hamster Boost, a game designed to stress the network through blockchain testing quests. Participants can earn “bounties and rewards for their contributions,” helping to identify potential issues before adoption grows.

Hamster Kombat amassed more than 300 million players last year as the tap-to-earn Telegram game saw substantial attention, though September’s HMSTR token launch received mixed reactions, with some players complaining of receiving small token allocations—or “dust”—in the airdrop after pouring months into the game.

The game’s planned second season of gameplay finally launched last week as Hamster Kombat: GameDev Heroes, as part of a broader “HamsterVerse” relaunch spanning multiple current and future games. GameDev Heroes reframes the tap-to-earn experience under the concept of running and expanding a game studio.

The HMSTR token hit an all-time low price last Tuesday alongside the game’s launch, but is up 17% since despite broader crypto market pain. At its current price of $0.0017, HMSTR remains down 76% from its peak price from last September.