TL;DR: Building a successful game on Telegram Mini Apps (TMA) hinges on clear social mechanics, effective referral rewards, and retention‑boosting features. Learn from Notcoin and The Pixels to design incentives that drive rapid user growth and keep players engaged.
Introduction#
Inal Kardan, partner at TON Ventures and former head of the gaming division at the TON Foundation, has been involved in the TON gaming ecosystem since May 2023. Drawing on his experience with projects such as Notcoin, The Pixels, and Fanton, he outlines a concise framework for creating games that can reach millions of users, many of which also apply to generic TMAs.
Core Considerations for Game Development#
When designing a game or any TMA, focus on three pillars:
- Social interactions – understand who your players are and what motivates them.
- User rewards – build incentive structures that are both immediate and long‑term.
- Team interactions – consider how developers, bloggers, and community managers collaborate.
Social Interactions
Start by answering:
- Who is my player? (age, location, gender)
- What are their habits?
- Why do they play? (motivation)
From a game‑theory perspective, players typically fall into these categories:
- Killers – driven by leaderboards and rankings.
- Achievers – seek in‑game achievements and status.
- Social Players – value interaction, friend lists, and chat.
- Explorers – enjoy puzzles and complex challenges.
- Airdrop Hunters – join primarily for financial gain.
Target one or two segments; trying to satisfy all five dilutes the experience. Telegram’s native social environment makes leaderboards especially effective for Killers.
Referral Systems
Notcoin demonstrated the power of referrals:
94% of Notcoin users joined through a friend’s invitation.
Two invitation methods exist:
- Simple text link – easy to share, lower conversion.
- Bot‑mode with immediate TMA opening – higher conversion but adds a step for the user.
Kardan recommends the first method for broader reach, despite its lower conversion rate, because it generates more total invites.
User Rewards
Two reward models are highlighted:
- One‑time rewards – Notcoin gave a flat 2,500 Notcoin for a regular friend and 50,000 Notcoin for a Telegram Premium friend, awarded only once.
- Multi‑level rewards – The Pixels used a tiered system where users earned coins from direct invites, second‑level invites, and even third‑level invites.
Kardan favors a hybrid approach: an instant reward on the first referral plus a percentage of downstream earnings for sustained engagement.
Leaderboards
Leaderboards improve retention by encouraging repeat play. While Telegram Games (a legacy full‑screen platform) still offers a native leaderboard API, Kardan advises evaluating whether the older Games platform or the newer TMA framework better fits the game’s design.
Competitions & Custom Tournaments
Fanton (a fantasy‑football style game) allowed users to create private tournaments with prize pools. This mechanic attracted highly motivated players and generated significant revenue in small‑group settings, suggesting value in experimenting with custom tournaments.
Team & Community Interactions
Notcoin introduced squads—competitions between blogger communities rather than individual players. By incentivizing bloggers with traffic and rewards, the game indirectly attracted their audiences. Engaged community management, as seen with the Gatto team, further amplifies growth.
PvP Challenges
Online PvP is difficult on Telegram due to matchmaking latency and turn‑based delays. Gatto reported that if a match did not appear within 7 seconds, 92% of users dropped out. This highlights the need for fast, frictionless interactions or alternative game modes.
Practical Tips for Mini‑App Optimization#
- Pin a button in the bot – boosts conversion from bot to TMA by 4‑6%.
- Add an emoji – yields an additional ~2% conversion lift.
- Show user counts on the launch button – social proof encourages new users.
Payments & Monetization#
Telegram policy permits purchases only with Telegram Stars. While Android apps have not faced bans for alternative payment methods, iOS enforcement has blocked some TMAs that violated this rule.
Retention‑Boosting Mechanics#
Lucky Wheel
A daily spin that offers random rewards. Popular across catalogs; however, balance must be maintained to avoid economic collapse.
Streaks
Reward consecutive daily logins. Inspired by Duolingo, streaks create habit loops that improve retention.
Badges
The Pixels added a “daily login” badge, raising seventh‑day retention by 18%.
Random Time‑Appearing Challenges
Notcoin’s “Earn” section released tasks at unpredictable intervals, prompting users to check the app frequently.
Fun Notifications
Humorous GIFs and strong branding increase user delight and shareability.
Community Engagement
Active community interaction, exemplified by the Gatto team, drives organic growth and sustained interest.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
Notcoin successfully generated FOMO, making users eager to participate before opportunities vanished. Replicating this effect requires creative, time‑limited incentives.
See also#
- TON Ecosystem
- Telegram Mini Apps
- The Pixels
- Notcoin
- Fanton
- Gatto
- Telegram Stars
- Mini Apps Challenge 2023