What is Notcoin: TON's viral clicker game that's "probably nothing"

If you've remotely heard of Notcoin, you'll know that the Telegram clicker game is "probably nothing". That nonchalont branding message has been making waves in the crypto scene since Notcoin announced the Web3 gaming platform.

With close to two million followers on its X account and more than six million subscribers on the official Notcoin Community Telegram group, there's certainly a lot more to the project than meets the eye. With the recent Notcoin teaser, we might be on the precipice of the hotly anticipated Notcoin minting.

Interested in finding out more about Notcoin and its relation to Toncoin? From learning about Notcoin's Telegram roots to understanding what Notcoin is all about, read on to uncover the viral clicker game with our comprehensive breakdown on what Notcoin is and why it's probably something.

What is Notcoin?

Far from being your typical GameFi project, Notcoin is a clicker mini-app game that's achieved viral status within the Telegram ecosystem. Thanks to its ease of access through the Telegram app, Notcoin has gathered a massive following through the lowered barrier to entry. With more than four million players clicking away in its first week, Notcoin seems to be remaining vague and ambiguous on when (or if) Notcoin players will be rewarded for their participation. Despite lacking a clearly defined purpose, Notcoin managed to capture significant attention among Telegram users and looks set to shake up the crypto scene while riding the wave of virality.

Who created Notcoin: understanding its humble beginnings and appeal

Despite its huge following, Notcoin's origins are relatively recent and date back to late 2023. As the brainchild of Open Builders, TON launched a beta version of Notcoin on Telegram in November 2023. The game was promoted by co-founder Sasha Plotivinov as an experimental way of distributing tokens to millions of people in a fair manner.

With a casual branding message denoting Notcoin as "probably nothing", this counterintuitive approach ultimately drew in the crowds as news sites and articles began reporting on Notcoin as the project with "zero expectations". This user interest was further fueled by Notcoin's simplistic clicker gameplay that involved no wallet integrations and lacked a white paper, a documented roadmap that typically accompanies most established crypto projects.

Despite the cryptic beginnings, Notcoin's simple clicker gameplay proved addictive. The ability to form teams, invite friends, and participate in leaderboards fostered a strong sense of community among Notcoin players. This combination of lighthearted fun and social elements propelled Notcoin to viral status. By January 2024, when the official version launched, Notcoin had already amassed a massive user base, solidifying its position as a major player within the Telegram ecosystem. Even though some may argue that the anonymity of the creators and the meme-worthy nature of the coin continues to shroud Notcoin in mystery, Notcoin fans believe these factors have contributed to the game becoming a cultural phenomenon within the Telegram ecosystem.

How to play Notcoin: a step-by-step guide

Notcoin isn't your typical Web3 game, as it lacks clear incentives and Web3 wallet integrations. Rather, it's a minimalist play-to-earn clicker game within the Telegram ecosystem. Think of it as a mini-game accessible through the Telegram app, allowing you to earn in-game currency called "Notcoins" through clicking the coin. The core mechanic often involves tapping a button, hence the "click-to-earn" description. Notcoin's viral appeal stems from its accessibility and the novelty of earning something through minimal effort, even if that something is "probably nothing".

Although Notcoin has already ceased its minting phase, we might see a return to mining in future Notcoin phases. To prepare you for that, here's a step-by-step guide to get you started.

Setting up Telegram and Notcoin mini-app

The first step is to download the Telegram app. It's readily available on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers. Once you've set up Telegram, finding Notcoin requires a bit of exploration. You can either search for 'Notcoin' within the Telegram search bar or potentially find it through links shared on social media.

Mining your Notcoins

Now comes the fun and addictive part — playing the Notcoin game and minting your Notcoins. Notcoin's gameplay typically revolves around a simple mechanic: tapping a button to 'mine' Notcoins. That encourages you to tap as quickly as humanly possible. Meanwhile, there are variations like Speed Boosters and Turbo Mode that supercharge your Notcoin earnings.

For a full walkthrough of how to play Notcoin, check out the team's Notcoin guide.

Digging deeper into the excitement behind Notcoin: why's everyone clicking?

Anyone who's familiar with the meme culture surrounding cryptocurrencies should understand the jesting and sarcasm around Notcoin being probably nothing. Armed with a strong following and backing from the TON Foundation, Notcoin definitely has the potential to achieve unbelievable levels of growth and reach by building upon the solid foundations it's already laid out for itself. Based on what Notcoin has achieved so far, its allure goes beyond just being a meme. Here's a breakdown of the factors driving its popularity:

Clicker game

As a casual clicker game inspired by the likes of Cookie Clicker, Notcoin's mechanics are easy to understand and play, making the game accessible to a wide audience of users who are exposed to Telegram and its ecosystem. This casual, low-barrier entry point is especially appealing to those new to the world of cryptocurrency. Unlike complex trading strategies or Web3 gaming integrations, Notcoin feels more approachable given its clicker game style.

Strong sense of community

Notcoin fosters a strong sense of camaraderie because of its strong social components. The ability to form teams, compete on leaderboards, and invite friends creates a social aspect that keeps users engaged and coming back for more. It's more than just clicking a button, because players are now interacting and competing with others.

Light-hearted gamification

Unlike other GameFi projects that are heavy-handed with their Web3 integrations and interactions, Notcoin gamifies the concept of earning crypto by abstracting conventional crypto aspects like gas fees and wallet integrations. By simplifying the clicker game to its bare minimum, Notcoin makes the gaming process feel more fun and rewarding than traditional Web3 games. This lighthearted approach resonates with younger demographics who might be intimidated by the traditional crypto market.

The future of Notcoin

The future of Notcoin, like any new crypto project, is shrouded in a bit of mystery. Aside from the excitement of the potential token generation event of Notcoin after missing its planned April 20, 2024 deadline, Notcoin's roadmap remains unknown to even the most diehard of players.

If we put on our speculation hats, the team might have plans to integrate Notcoin with other platforms or introduce ways to convert Notcoins into something more tangible. However, these are just speculations, and the long-term value of Notcoin remains as ambiguous as Notcoin's white paper.

NOT tokenomics

Much to the delight of existing players, Notcoin plans to convert its game currency into crypto tokens. Known as NOT, the project will adjust the exchange rate based on how many users end up mining Notcoin. With a total supply of 102,719,221,714 NOT, this amount will likely be distributed among the 35 million Notcoin community members. Of this total supply of NOT, 78% will be reserved for miners and vouchers. The remaining 22% will account for new Notcoin users and further Notcoin development phases. With phase three being teased by the team, there's certainly tons of potential regarding the expanded utility of NOT.

Notcoin on OKX Jumpstart

Excited for Notcoin and eager to get yourself some NOT exposure? Make sure to participate in OKX Jumpstart Mining for NOT.

Mining will start at 6am UTC on May 13, 2024 and end at 6am UTC on May 16, 2024. To participate, simply stake your TON for the Jumpstart Mining duration. Do note that you're limited to a maximum staking amount of 4,000 TON. With a total of 1,283,990,271 NOT in the overall staking pool, this accounts for 1.25% of the total NOT supply.

Final words and next steps

If you're looking for a fun and potentially educational way to explore the concept of click-to-earn games and get a taste of the crypto world, Notcoin could be a worthwhile entry point. The simple gameplay and gamified experience offer a low barrier to entry, allowing you to learn and experiment without significant inconvenience.Interested in broadening your horizons with GameFi projects? Check out our guides to games like Big Time and The Sandbox. And if you're interested in reading more about the TON ecosystem, check out our deep dive into TON and explore the ecosystem's future opportunities.