X Empire Faces Player Backlash Over Airdrop Exclusions

The highly anticipated X token launch for X Empire, a Telegram-based tap-to-earn game, has sparked frustration among players after the reveal of the airdrop allocations left many ineligible for rewards. The game, which runs on The Open Network (TON), will begin allowing players to trade their X tokens on October 24. But controversy erupted when players learned they wouldn’t be receiving the tokens they had anticipated.

The Musk-themed game, originally launched as Musk Empire, disclosed its airdrop allocation criteria last Friday. Highlighting factors like “active friends”, profit-per-hour marks, and quest completion as key determinants. However, many players who expected to be included in the airdrop have voiced concerns about the lack of clarity around these criteria. Some have even escalated the issue by tweeting directly at Elon Musk. Who is not affiliated with the game, but whose likeness is prominently featured in the avatars and theme.

Allocation Controversy

X Empire’s creator, Alex Falcon, addressed the backlash in a Telegram post, noting that over 6 million players would be included in the airdrop. While the game’s total user base reportedly exceeds 50 million. The specific criteria that have drawn the most ire is the emphasis on “active friends,” with many players questioning why this social metric had such a significant weight in the final allocation.

“Everyone who truly invested time in X Empire gained access to the drop,” Falcon stated, defending the airdrop’s methodology. Despite this, numerous players have criticized the selection process as opaque and arbitrary, with some even calling the project a scam on social media platforms, particularly in tweets aimed at Musk. While Musk has not responded to these complaints, the confusion has persisted, and players have continued to voice concerns about transparency and fairness in the distribution process.

Community Reactions and Comparisons

This isn’t the first time a Telegram game has faced pushback over airdrop eligibility. Catizen and Hamster Kombat, both popular Telegram games, also saw significant backlash during their recent airdrop events. Players argued that unclear communication around criteria and disproportionate rewards for effort contributed to dissatisfaction across the user base.

In X Empire’s case, Falcon and the development team have sought to quell the discontent by emphasizing the utility of the X token beyond the immediate airdrop. The team has hinted at future integrations, including a news feed app and a sleep tracking tool. Suggesting that the X token will have broader utility across multiple platforms and that players can expect additional token distributions from upcoming Telegram games.

Looking Ahead

As the October 24 trading date for X tokens approaches. The controversy surrounding the airdrop underscores the challenges faced by blockchain-based gaming platforms when it comes to token distribution. In a space where decentralized finance (DeFi) mechanics and tokenomics play a crucial role in user engagement. Missteps in communication and execution can lead to significant player dissatisfaction.

X Empire’s ability to navigate this situation may depend on how effectively the development team can address transparency concerns while ensuring that players feel adequately rewarded for their participation. Whether the game’s broader utility and upcoming features will be enough to assuage frustrated players remains to be seen. But the upcoming launch will likely set the tone for future interactions between developers and the community.