Journal of Culture-Communication Studies

Journal of Culture-Communication Studies

A Personal Narrative of Playing the Mobile Game Hamster Kombat with Consideration of Its Cultural and Communicative Implications: An Autoethnographic Study

Document Type : Research Paper

Author
Hossein Hassani
Assistant Professor, Department of Cyberspace Studies, Communication Research Institute, Research Institute for Culture, Art, and Communication, Tehran, Iran
10.22083/jccs.2025.498966.3988
Abstract
Introduction: This autoethnographic study examines Hamster Kombat, a blockchain-based “tap-to-earn” game on Telegram that gained massive popularity among Iranian users in early 1403 (2024). Despite national efforts to promote domestic messaging apps, the game reinforced reliance on Telegram, challenging digital sovereignty policies. Its simple mechanic—tapping a screen to earn virtual coins with promises of future cryptocurrency rewards—drew millions, transforming it into a widespread digital behavior. The study aims to analyze the game’s engagement mechanisms and its broader social, cultural, and psychological implications, positioning it as a reflection of shifts in digital life under Web3 economies.
Method: The research employs an autoethnographic approach inspired by Ellis, Adams, and Bochner. The author reflects on their personal experience of playing Hamster Kombat for three months (June 10, 2024 - October 5, 2024). Data were collected through personal observation, media reports, user discussions on social platforms, news articles, and official game documents such as the Hamster Kombat Whitepaper. The narrative traces a journey from initial skepticism to deep immersion and eventual critical realization, highlighting the game’s addictive design and its impact on daily routines.
Findings: The analysis reveals several interconnected themes. First, the game uses advanced gamification—daily combos, leaderboards, unlockable content, and rewards—to sustain engagement, creating a feedback loop that turns play into a compulsive habit. This reflects the economy of attention, where user time and focus are monetized. Second, the boundary between leisure and labor dissolves, as tapping becomes a form of digital labor driven by the promise of income. However, most users earned negligible returns, exposing a system of digital exploitation where developers profit while users invest time and energy.
A core mechanic—inviting friends—leads to the commodification of intimacy, where personal relationships are instrumentalized for in-game advancement. Players form what Byung-Chul Han (2017) calls a digital swarm: isolated individuals competing without solidarity or collective identity. The game also alters daily routines; micro-breaks once used for mental recovery are now filled with gameplay, indicating a shift from critical detachment to psychological immersion.
Ultimately, widespread user disillusionment emerged. The promised financial rewards failed to materialize. One top-ranked Iranian player reported earning only $600 despite massive effort, while the game’s token value plummeted after listing. Most active users received only $10-15 in airdrops, a stark contrast to the game’s claimed potential.
Conclusion: Hamster Kombat is more than entertainment; it is a cultural phenomenon reflecting the dynamics of Web3 and attention economies. The autoethnographic account shows how such games exploit human psychology, social ties, and economic aspirations. While it offers a narrative of democratized earning, it ultimately fosters digital alienation, exploitation, and behavioral addiction. The study calls for greater critical media literacy and regulatory awareness. It also advocates for autoethnography as a valuable method for studying lived digital experiences often overlooked by mainstream research. The game serves as a cautionary tale about the hidden costs of gamified labor and the erosion of leisure in platform capitalism.
Keywords
Telegram
mobile game
blockchain game
Hamster Kombat
Autoethnography
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