Launched in early 2024, Catizen is a mini-app built within Telegram that merges the tap-to-earn and play-to-earn concepts into a single platform. 

In just six months, Catizen reportedly amassed 34 million users and has been recognized as the highest-earning app on Telegram. 

Gameplay Mechanics

Catizen revolves around managing a virtual cat café. Players start with a basic cat and earn vKITTY, the in-game currency, as visitors interact with the cats. 

The primary goal is to enhance the café by merging cats to create higher-level felines, which increases their earning potential.

• Core Gameplay: Players drag and combine cats to level them up. Each level-up boosts the cat’s earnings. As more cats arrive, the player's ability to merge and upgrade them improves, leading to a more profitable café.

   

• Additional Features: Catizen also includes a fishing mini-game. Players earn Fish Coins through various activities, which can be used in the fishing game to catch virtual fish. 

This mini-game offers extra vKITTY and fish coins as rewards. However, the mini-game is somewhat tangential to the core gameplay and feels like an added feature rather than a central element.

Multi-Token Economy

Catizen’s in-game economy operates on multiple tokens, each serving distinct purposes:

• vKITTY: The primary in-game currency, earned through gameplay and used for various in-game purchases.

• wCATI: The game’s native cryptocurrency, which plays a key role in the game's economy.

• Fishcoin: Used to accelerate gameplay and participate in the fishing mini-game.

• Zen: A rare token with limited information available; it is used to unlock special features and is typically earned in small amounts.

The game’s native crypto token, $CATI, is not yet fully launched but is available for pre-market trading. It is set to be officially listed on exchanges like Bybit and OKX in the near future. The $CATI token bridges the in-game world with the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem, providing real-world value and tradeability.

Partnerships and Investments

Catizen’s development has been supported by prominent organizations. The game is published by PLUTO Studio and has received backing from The Open Platform (TOP), HashKey, and Binance Labs. 

HashKey, in particular, is involved in providing regulatory guidance and technical support, marking its entry into the TON ecosystem with Catizen as its first Web3 partner.

Ben El-Baz of HashKey Global points to the rapid growth of developers on the TON blockchain as a key reason for their investment in an interview with CoinTelegraph. He believes that this influx signals a prosperous period for the ecosystem. 

Future Developments

Catizen has plans to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its gameplay by 2025. This AI integration aims to enhance the gaming experience by introducing dynamic interactions and more sophisticated behaviors for the virtual cats. 

Per reports, the potential for AI to impact narrative and player decision-making could set Catizen apart from other blockchain-based games.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Unique mechanics such as cat merging and the multi-level referral system add depth to the game.

• Supports in-game purchases with Notcoin and automated bots for pet breeding.

• The game continues to accumulate resources even when the app is closed.

Cons:

• Currently, there are no options to withdraw earned tokens until they are listed on exchanges.

• Automated breeding bots are only available for level-6 cats.

The highly anticipated $CATI airdrop is scheduled for September 20, 2024, with listing on exchanges like Bybit and OKX.