Do you remember that wave of games where you just had to press buttons to earn cryptocurrency? These projects, particularly in the world of Web3 on Telegram, seemed super popular, but as it turned out, this era is quickly becoming a thing of the past. In a recent interview, Vladimir Plotvinov, co-founder of Notcoin, stated that the "click and earn" genre is probably dead. Why did this happen? Let's figure it out.
The era of "click and earn" is over
Notcoin was one of the prime examples of such games, especially in 2024, when it attracted over 30 million users to Telegram in just three months. But everything changed when developers began to realize that simply clicking buttons for crypto rewards no longer attracted the attention of players.
As Vladimir Plotvinov said, "we will see different types of games, because pay-per-click models will probably become a thing of the past because they are unprofitable." Games that offer real entertainment, with a fascinating plot or good interaction mechanics, are becoming more in demand than those where the main thing is to "press" a button and get tokens.
What really attracts gamers?
Sasha Plotvina, co-founder of Notcoin, explained that there was no social element in the first Telegram games, which was one of the reasons users left. People came to farm money, but not to really enjoy the game process.
"I want to play with my friends, in a group, and enjoy the process. For me, this is more important than just earning something with tokens," she said in an interview.
Current trends in game development indicate that the Web3 economy is becoming an additional element rather than the main goal of the game. This allows you to integrate cryptocurrency and blockchain into games more harmoniously, without forcing players to focus only on earnings.
A new perspective on AI game development
Another important detail is the role of artificial intelligence in game development. Plotvinov noted that with the development of AI technologies, developers can now create games faster and more efficiently. For example, AI helps speed up code writing, which saves a lot of time.
However, Vladimir warns: "The use of AI should be thoughtful. You need to understand exactly how the API will work and how it will interact with a large number of users under high load."In other words, AI is not a magic wand, and it needs to be used wisely.
Telegram Games: the Future and Growth opportunities
Despite the changes in game models, Telegram is still a powerful platform for game content. Ulyana Salo, head of the design department at NotGames, is confident that the gaming industry on Telegram will continue to develop. Facebook and WeChat, which have already created their own ecosystems for games, are reminiscent of the platform, she said. Telegram, with its huge audience, may well repeat this path.
However, there is one important point: Telegram games currently lack large publishers and investors, which is holding back growth. But this, according to Salo, will not stop the platform. The developers are confident that the industry will grow exponentially, and social and entertainment elements will be able to attract even more players.
Eventually, Telegram can become a platform where games will be interesting not only in terms of earnings, but also as a way to have fun.
What do you think?
Will Telegram really be able to create an ecosystem in which games will bring not only money, but also pleasure? Or will Web3 games on this platform remain within the framework of earning cryptocurrency?
