The Open Network (TON) blockchain, associated with Telegram, warns the crypto community about a major congestion risk. This alert comes as a new very popular game is about to launch its tokens on the network.
TON prepares for a massive influx of users
The head of TON posted a warning on Twitter, announcing a possible large-scale load test of the blockchain starting on September 26 at 10:00 UTC. This critical situation is related to the launch of the Hamster Kombat game tokens, which has more than 100 million active monthly users. This is not the first time that TON has faced this type of challenge. Last August, the network experienced two interruptions in 24 hours during the minting of DOGS tokens, another very popular meme crypto.These incidents paralyzed block production for several hours, highlighting the infrastructure’s vulnerability to a sudden influx of activity. In response to this threat, the TON team has established an emergency protocol. Network validators have received strict instructions to closely monitor the status of their equipment between September 26 and 29. Contingency measures may be deployed within the hour if necessary.
Hamster Kombat, new phenomenon of the crypto-economy
The Hamster Kombat game, at the origin of this potential overload, perfectly illustrates the current convergence between mobile games and crypto. Based on Telegram, this “tap-to-earn” promises to reward its players with real tokens exchangeable for the collection of virtual coins.
The developers of Hamster Kombat will launch the HMSTR token on September 26 on TON, along with its introduction on major trading platforms. The enthusiasm around this project has exceeded initial expectations, far surpassing the goal set in July.
In short, this situation highlights the challenges faced by emerging blockchains like TON. As the growing crypto adoption attracts more and more users, the ability of networks to handle these activity peaks becomes crucial for their credibility and future development.