SonicX, a tap-to-earn game hosted on TikTok, has reached a significant milestone of 1 million players just a month after its debut. Developed by Sonic SVM, the game has grown rapidly through targeted advertising campaigns and marks a pivotal moment in bringing the tap-to-earn genre to a new platform beyond Telegram.
Breaking Free from Telegram
Tap-to-earn games, which reward players for simple in-app actions, have historically been tied to Telegram due to the platform’s seamless mini-app integration and wallet support through The Open Network (TON). However, Sonic SVM has reimagined the genre by leveraging TikTok’s massive user base.
SonicX, the first tap-to-earn game on TikTok, allows players to earn in-game points by tapping their smartphone screens via a mini-app within TikTok. While its retro-style artwork resembles the iconic Sonic the Hedgehog, the game has no official affiliation with Sega.
1 Million Players and Growing
Over the past month, SonicX has expanded its reach through aggressive advertising on TikTok, driving millions of ad views and converting a significant portion into active players. Internal data shared by Sonic SVM aligns with these player milestones, solidifying its status as a rising contender in the space.
Despite this milestone, SonicX’s player base is modest compared to Hamster Kombat, which claimed over 300 million users on Telegram earlier this year. However, Chris Zhu, CEO and co-founder of Sonic SVM, emphasizes that SonicX’s users may have greater long-term value due to TikTok’s know your customer (KYC) requirements, which ensure verified accounts.
Token Generation Event and Mining Phase
SonicX remains in its “mining phase,” where player progress is tracked ahead of a Token Generation Event (TGE) scheduled for late 2024 or early 2025. This phase is typically used to identify eligible players for an eventual token airdrop, although Zhu declined to confirm if an airdrop will be tied to in-game achievements.
Post-TGE, SonicX plans to introduce a differentiated reward mechanism to sustain user engagement, avoiding the user drop-off seen with Telegram games like Hamster Kombat after their airdrops concluded.
SonicX’s Vision: Building an App Layer
Sonic SVM aims to go beyond a single game by positioning SonicX as an “app layer” for integrating additional projects. This approach mirrors strategies seen in Telegram projects like Notcoin, which have expanded their ecosystems through partnerships.
“We are building SonicX not just for players to enjoy our game, but as a distribution platform for other games,” Zhu said. By using TikTok as a foundational layer, SonicX seeks to create a more versatile and interconnected ecosystem within the Solana blockchain.
The Future of Tap-to-Earn on TikTok
With its innovative integration of TikTok as a gaming platform and plans to expand its offerings, SonicX could redefine how tap-to-earn games are distributed and played. As the team looks ahead to its token launch and further ecosystem growth, SonicX is poised to cement its place in the evolving landscape of blockchain gaming.
