Hamster Cash, a hard fork of Hamster Kombat, was allegedly launched by a Hamster Kombat co-founder amid complaints of unfair airdrop allocations.

The alleged co-founder, who remains unidentified, reportedly started Hamster Cash to offer a better reward system than Hamster Kombat. However, the new game apparently allows existing users to transfer in-game progress, hinting at a core link between both projects.

At press time, crypto.news had not verified whether this anonymous founder was indeed involved with the viral hamster-themed Telegram mini-game. Hamster Kombat was developed by a pseudonymous team, making it difficult to confirm individuals’ identities.

Hamster Cash was quietly announced amid community backlash over Hamster Kombat’s upcoming airdrop. Several users claimed that the airdrop’s token allocation fell short of expectations after months of activity, listing delays, and participation.

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One chief critique of the Hamster Kombat team was the so-called misleading emphasis on features called “keys” and “profit per hour.” According to users and the eventual allocation breakdown, invites and referrals emerged as the biggest determining factors.

Many would-be recipients argued that this approach disadvantaged everyday users and unfairly favored influencers. Some even claimed that cheaters benefitted from the decision. Unhappy users threatened to boycott the project, leading to the hashtag #boycotthamsterkombat trending on social media platforms like X.

Team announcements stated that the anticipated and scrutinized HMSTR token would list on Sept. 26, barring unforeseen circumstances that had previously delayed the coin’s debut.

As users expressed dissatisfaction with the project, speculations about HMSTR’s listing price were in full swing. Bearish sentiment dominated public predictions, largely due to the contentious token allocation.

The team earmarked 60% of HMSTR’s 100 billion supply for community rewards and the airdrop. Hopeful users recalled the project’s promise of delivering “the biggest airdrop in crypto history,” while skeptics turned their attention to other mini-games in The Open Network’s (TON) ecosystem on Telegram.

Read more: Hamster Kombat backlash: why users are boycotting one of the most-hyped crypto games