Outrage Erupts Over HMSTR Airdrop’s Unjust Disqualifications and Broken Promises

Community members seething with anger and disappointment now believe the eagerly awaited HMSTR Airdrop is one of the worst in the history of crypto airdrops. The popular tap-to-earn Telegram game launched on September 26, 2024, has left a bitter taste in the mouths of many NFT game players.

According to a post on X, the community backlash resulted from what players perceived as one-sided criteria that left the majority feeling cheated and disappointed. The ire stemmed from an unforeseen disqualification of up to 63% of gamers from the much-anticipated Season 1 airdrop, supposedly caused by their collection of in-game keys. Most players said they learned too late into the game that collecting in-game keys was a determinant of airdrop eligibility.

Not Keen on Keeping Promises

To add insult to injury, gamers who collected keys have been accused of cheating on the game. According to media influencers who were privy to the ongoings, some players who collected as little as 100-200 keys were disqualified, while key generators and those with multiple accounts were spared the axe.

Most of these players had eagerly waited for months and dedicated their time to amassing their Points per Hour (PPH), a metric they were made to believe was crucial toward their HMSTR airdrop eligibility. For these players, investing their time and effort into the Hamster Kombat (HMSTR) airdrop, only to be told a rule they were told was irrelevant was the means of qualification meant the team wasn’t keen on keeping promises.

Some community members were also angered by the postponement of the HMSTR airdrop from July to September. Now, there is a last-minute inclusion of an essential collection locked as a betrayal of the highest order. As a result, most gamers who lost out completely or received nearly nothing in terms of the anticipated rewards accuse the developers of favouring influencers over the majority.

Unfair Distribution of Tokens

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Hamster Kombat NFT game became an instant sensation on Telegram when it was in March 2024. Five months later, the game that allowed players to mine Hamster coins ($HMSTR) had attracted at least 300 million players. On August 28, 2024, the team behind the then-viral game announced the date for the HMSTR airdrop as September 26, 2024, and allocated 60% of the total supply through the said airdrop to players. During that announcement, the firm’s spokesperson stated the HMSTR airdrop would be the largest in crypto history.

The X platform is now awash with complaints as the HMSTR airdrop now swims against the current massive criticism from its community members who feel cheated by the unfair distribution of tokens. Most of the 63% of users labelled ‘INELIGIBLE’ for what was termed ‘CHEATING’ were genuine users misled by the company’s misinformation.

Additionally, users have stated that the team failed to mention that 12% of the tokens were locked. Considering the latest developments, the game developers will have a hard time cooling the ire of its followers, which could lead to disastrous outcomes in the game’s future.

The Greatest Undoing

The outrage accompanying the now disgraced HMSTR airdrop demonstrates the fragility of crypto community trust and how unfair play can quickly erode it. Upcoming startups in the industry should use the fallout between game developers and community members as a lesson on how not to treat informed gamers.

Since blockchain is meant to create transparency by providing immutable records that every user can verify, it will benefit developers if they lay down their rules in clear communication before launching any event that involves a community of users.  The greatest undoing of Haairdrop seems to have been a lack of transparency, effective communication, and respect for their community, something that could cost the team dearly as they plan to hold Season 2 of the game.

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