Farm Frens Delays FREN Airdrop Amid Telegram-TON Clash

Farm Frens, a popular Telegram mini-game, has announced a delay in its FREN token airdrop on Base until February, citing last-minute policy changes by Telegram and The Open Network (TON).

The game’s developers voiced frustration over “heavy-handed restrictions” imposed after Telegram announced that all crypto-integrated mini apps must use TON moving forward.

“Mini app devs (like our team) were given no prior warning, and the heavy-handed restrictions that were swiftly imposed included unreasonable deadlines,” Farm Frens stated on X (formerly Twitter).

The sudden policy shift forced the team to make urgent roadmap adjustments, leading to the airdrop delay.

A Forced Migration to TON

On January 21, Telegram and TON mandated that all mini apps with blockchain integrations fully migrate to TON and TON Connect within 30 days—or face deactivation.

TON Foundation President Manual Stotz told:

“To maintain a scalable and secure user experience that meets Telegram’s standards, all mini apps with cryptocurrency functionality must be based exclusively on TON blockchain.”

To incentivize migration, Telegram has offered grants of up to $50,000 to projects that comply.

However, Farm Frens has refused to migrate, instead opting to remove on-chain interactions from its mini game for now. The team plans to:

• Keep FREN on Base, an Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution built by Coinbase.
• Spin out its wallet as a standalone app to maintain blockchain functionality.
• Expand the game to other platforms beyond Telegram.

Developers Criticize Telegram’s “Hypocrisy”

The Farm Frens team accused Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov of betraying his early ideals of decentralization and censorship resistance.

“It is upsetting to witness the incredible hypocrisy between [Durov’s] original purported ideals for Telegram versus The Closed Network’s new stance.”

The TON exclusivity requirement has been met with pushback from developers, who feel forced into an ecosystem that may not align with their original vision.

FREN Airdrop Plans Still Intact

Despite the delay, the FREN token airdrop remains on track:

• The snapshot for airdrop eligibility was taken on January 20.
• NFT holders from the studio’s upcoming tower defense game, Everseed, will also qualify.
• The airdrop distribution will take place in February.

Farm Frens allows players to manage a farm, grow crops, and upgrade animal helpers while preparing for the FREN token launch.

Telegram’s Crypto Gaming Boom

Despite the controversy over TON exclusivity, Telegram-based crypto games have exploded in popularity:

• Hamster Kombat and Notcoin—tap-to-earn Telegram games—have collectively attracted hundreds of millions of users.
• The Telegram crypto gaming ecosystem continues to expand, despite resistance from some developers.

For now, Farm Frens remains on Base, maintaining its independence while adapting to Telegram’s evolving blockchain policies.

The Future of Farm Frens and Telegram Crypto Games

The dispute between Telegram, TON, and independent game developers raises questions about the future of blockchain gaming on the platform.

With TON integration now mandatory, other mini apps may face the same dilemma—migrate or exit.

For Farm Frens, the solution is clear: keep FREN on Base, develop outside of Telegram, and build for a broader audience.

As February approaches, all eyes are on how Farm Frens, Telegram, and the TON ecosystem evolve in the coming months.