Iranian Officials Criticize 'Hamster Kombat' Blockchain Game as Election Distraction Tool

Iranian officials have condemned the popular blockchain game "Hamster Kombat," alleging it distracts citizens from the upcoming presidential elections. Deputy Chief Habibollah Sayyari and religious leader Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi criticized the game as a Western soft power instrument.

Iranian Leaders Accuse 'Hamster Kombat' of Distracting Public from Upcoming Presidential Election

In a recent report by Cointelegraph, the deputy chief of the Iranian military asserted that the game was intended to divert Iranians' attention from the forthcoming presidential elections.

The Iranian government officials and hardliners have expressed their sharp criticism of the play-to-earn blockchain game "Hamster Kombat," which is gaining popularity. They have alleged that the basic play-to-earn tap game is a soft power instrument being projected by Western nations.

According to Habibollah Sayyari, the deputy chief of the Iranian military, the exercise's objective was to divert the Iranian populace's attention from the forthcoming elections. Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, a religious authority, reiterated Sayyari's comments, characterizing the entire cryptocurrency industry as fraudulent.

Even though the country is currently experiencing skyrocketing inflation and Western sanctions, the dire financial situation in which many Iranians find themselves is not acknowledged in these comments from Iranian officials. The current exchange rate is 1 U.S. dollar to 580,000 Iranian rial, illuminating Iran's economic challenges.

Impoverished economic conditions have facilitated the emergence of blockchain games in developing countries. This novel phenomenon is illustrated by the NFT game Axie Infinity. At its peak, Axie users reported earning as much as $1,300 per month playing the game, a substantial source of income in developing countries.

Despite the relatively high entry fee for Axie, organized gaming guilds offered players in developing countries a means to mitigate the costs of playing the game and other blockchain games while still generating substantial profits for guild members.

Blockchain Games Gain Popularity in Developing Countries but Face Hurdles to Mainstream Adoption

Despite the increased traction of Web3 games in the developing world, blockchain gaming still needs to attain mainstream adoption.

According to a recent survey conducted by OnePoll, 52% of respondents were unaware of blockchain gaming, while 32% were aware of the concept but had never played one.

These figures indicate a substantial underserved market, but they also indicate more general issues with play-to-earn games, such as the absence of high-quality gameplay mechanics that can compete with those of console and PC games.

Photo: Microsoft Bing

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