Overview of Catizen

The Catizen project on Ton (The Open Network) started with the rise of blockchain technology and NFTs (non-fungible tokens). In early 2023, a group of developers who love blockchain and virtual pet games launched the project. Their goal is to combine virtual cats’ fun with blockchain’s decentralized nature, giving users a unique digital experience.

The team behind Catizen is from Pluto Studio, a company that releases Web 3.0 mini-games. The Pluto team started planning their project within the Telegram x TON blockchain ecosystem a year ago. As early developers and contributors to the ecosystem, they received significant support from the TON Foundation regarding funding and resources. Using their experience in blockchain projects and the TON ecosystem, they created Catizen, a game that mixes the metaverse, GameFi, and AI. Catizen has become a leading project in the GameFi Bot category within the TON ecosystem.

David, the co-founder and CEO of Catizen, has extensive experience in Web 3.0 and game development, leading Pluto Studio’s efforts within the Telegram and TON ecosystems. The CMO, Pierce, who has a background in investment advising and Web 3 innovation, is in charge of Catizen’s marketing and branding.

Source: Catizen Official Website

On July 17, 2024, Catizen’s developer, Pluto Studio, announced they received funding from The Open Platform (TOP). However, Pluto did not disclose the amount of the investment.

History of Catizen

2023

In the first quarter of 2023, the Catizen team began developing the technology and validating their concept. They built the essential infrastructure, which includes smart contracts and mechanisms for generating and trading NFTs. They completed the initial concept validation to ensure the uniqueness and transparent ownership of the virtual cats.

By the second quarter of 2023, the Catizen team started small-scale internal testing. They invited blockchain enthusiasts and virtual pet gamers to participate, gather feedback, and make improvements and optimizations. During this time, they also began promoting the project on social media and within blockchain communities to attract early users and supporters. In the third quarter of 2023, the Catizen platform officially launched. Users could now buy, trade, and breed virtual cats. Initial interactive and gaming features were also introduced to boost user engagement. Online events and challenges were held to attract more users to register and participate.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, the Catizen project expanded functionalities and built partnerships. They introduced more interactive and gaming features, such as a quest system and social features. They also collaborated with other blockchain projects and platforms to increase Catizen’s influence and application scenarios. The team organized large community events and competitions to enhance user engagement and foster a sense of belonging.

Catizen Roadmap for 2024

• Introducing Catizen Game Tokens and User Incentives: Catizen will launch its game tokens and motivate users to set up crypto wallets through initiatives like airdrops. This aims to boost user participation and activity within the in-game economy.
• Launching Catizen Launchpool: In the next phase, Catizen will introduce Launchpool, where users can engage in staking, mining, and other activities to earn more in-game points or tokens. This will diversify economic activities in the game and offer users more ways to earn rewards.
• Opening the Game Center and Adding More Games: Catizen will launch a Game Center and introduce over 200 mini-games, evolving from a single mini-game to a comprehensive game hub. This will significantly expand Catizen’s gaming ecosystem and attract more users.
• Launching Short Videos to Attract Female Users: In 2024, Catizen will add a short video feature to reach a wider audience, particularly women. This will make the game more entertaining and social, offering users a richer experience.
• Launching E-commerce Platform to Enhance CATI Token Use: Catizen will launch an e-commerce platform to increase the use and liquidity of CATI tokens. Users can shop and spend CATI tokens on this platform, enhancing the token’s value and acceptance.

Additionally, Catizen plans to donate 1% of its revenue to social causes like stray cat rescue. This allows users to contribute to good causes while playing, boosting Catizen’s social responsibility and enhancing user engagement and loyalty.

Catizen’s 2024 roadmap includes launching tokens, a Launchpool, a Game Center, short videos, a task platform, and an e-commerce platform. These plans aim to create a thriving and diverse gaming and application ecosystem.

Source: Catizen Official Website

As of June 17, 2024, Catizen’s user base has surpassed 20 million, with around 2.5 million daily active users and 1.15 million on-chain users. Catizen has consistently topped the application rankings in The Open League, the TON Foundation’s ecosystem competition, and has achieved over $10 million in revenue in the past few weeks.

Source: Catizen Official Website

Catizen’s mini-game platform has also seen significant success. Currently, it offers a variety of fun mini-games designed to provide unique challenges and rewards, enhancing the user experience. Each game features different gameplay and goals, such as puzzle games, brain teasers, and competitive games. Players can earn rewards and unlock achievements by completing these games and competing with friends and other players. The platform also includes leaderboards to highlight the top players’ performances.

Source: mini game platform

2025

Looking ahead, the Catizen project will continue to grow and innovate in 2024 and beyond. The team will consistently listen to user feedback, release regular updates and improvements, and explore new technologies and innovations like AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality). Catizen also aims to expand its market to attract more international users and investors, driving global development.

Source: Catizen Official Website

In the future, Catizen plans to evolve from a single blockchain game into a comprehensive platform.

Currently, Catizen has achieved significant growth thanks to its solid technical foundation. The Catizen Game Engine, designed specifically for Telegram mini-programs, features high-performance, millisecond-level multi-threaded loading, data tracking, and globally distributed loading. These technologies ensure smooth gameplay on various devices and optimize Telegram integration for enhanced interaction and social experiences.

Catizen’s SDK is a cornerstone for building its ecosystem. Developers can now publish H5 mini-games on Telegram with a simple three-step process, greatly simplifying development. The Catizen team, with extensive experience in Web2 and Web3 mini-program game development, has signed contracts with several popular WeChat mini-games, which will gradually be launched on the Catizen platform. Unlike traditional blockchain game SDKs, the Catizen SDK provides an easy method for creating and managing Telegram Bots, supports cross-platform gaming, and improves development efficiency with a powerful yet simple API. Additionally, its multi-threaded asynchronous loading technology and global content delivery network (CDN) significantly boost game performance, ensuring stability and smoothness during high traffic. Deep integration with Telegram’s features allows Catizen to offer a unique user experience, enhancing user interaction and engagement.

Overall, the Catizen SDK enables developers to quickly develop and iterate game features through efficient resource management and network communication protocols, improving user experience and game longevity. Its dedicated game engine and SDK significantly reduce development complexity, giving Catizen a competitive edge. Catizen’s technical strength and quick response time position it as a leader in the evolving Telegram mini-game landscape, paving the way for the next era of mini-games.

Core Gameplay of Catizen

Catizen introduces an innovative Play2Airdrop model where players can earn future airdrops while playing.

First, ensure you have Telegram installed, as this unique cat-raising game operates on a Telegram bot. Click here to start your cat-raising journey.

Upon entering the game, you will start with 12 cat nests. Click the “Generate” button in the center of the screen to begin raising cats. You can merge two cats of the same level to upgrade them; higher-level cats will earn you more coins.

Source: Catizen Mini Program

To quickly level up your cats, use the “Feed” function at the bottom right of the screen to buy specific-level cats with coins. Up to level 4, cats can be purchased with coins alone, but from level 5 onwards, a special currency called FISH is required. Free cats also occasionally appear in the game store, so check regularly. Additionally, special characters like meme frogs may appear, and clicking on them can reward you with cats or CATI.

Source: Catizen Mini Program

The Launchpool feature is available on the official website to speed up your progress. If you have FISH, you can enter and enjoy the acceleration benefits. If not, you need to level up in the game to increase your coin income, which requires more coins. So, how do you get more coins to speed up the game? The answer is to use FISH. Here are the main ways to obtain $FISH:

• Complete Quest tasks: Various tasks are periodically released in the game, and completing them will reward you with $FISH.
• Fishing activities: Participating in fishing activities in the game gives you a chance to catch $FISH.
• Official purchase: If you urgently need $FISH to accelerate your game progress, you can buy it directly through official channels.

Source: Catizen Mini Program

Using these methods, you can effectively acquire $FISH, making greater progress and gaining advantages in the game.

Introduction to Catizen Tokenomics

Catizen uses two main tokens: CATS (Cat Paws) and FISH (Fish Coins). These tokens are essential to the in-game economy and have various uses within and outside the game.

1. In-game Currency: FISH (Fish Coins)

• Purpose: FISH is primarily used to speed up game progress, and purchase cats and items. Players can earn FISH by completing Quest tasks, participating in fishing activities, and buying through official channels.
• Function: FISH is the main currency spent in the game, helping players advance faster and enjoy a better gaming experience.

1. On-chain Currency: CATS (Cat Paws)

• Mining Mechanism: The rate at which players earn CATS depends on the level and number of cats they own. Merging higher-level cats accelerates the production of CATS.
• Purpose: CATS can be used in the game and traded on the blockchain. Players can use CATS to vote on governance issues, participate in platform decisions, or trade them in the market.

1. Additional Applications

1）Governance and Decision-Making

• CATS for Governance: Holding CATS allows players to participate in platform governance and decision-making, influencing the game’s direction and policies through voting.

2）Economic Buyback and Profit Sharing

• Buyback Mechanism: The team may periodically buy back CATS from the market to maintain its stability and value.
• Profit Sharing: Some of the platform’s income may be distributed to CATS holders, rewarding players who contribute to the community.

1. Speculative Meme Coin:

• Market Speculation: CATS may attract investors and speculators as a market commodity due to its scarcity and liquidity.

These designs ensure that CATS and FISH have important roles in the game and the broader community, creating a multi-layered token economy.

Source: Official Whitepaper

Catizen’s token distribution strategy emphasizes the importance of the ecosystem and player incentives. The total initial issuance of Catizen tokens is 1 billion, with 35% (later increased to 42%) allocated for the ecosystem and airdrops to reward early users. This approach promotes community building and boosts players’ long-term confidence and engagement. Catizen describes the token as embodying four qualities: love, health, wealth, and social interaction. The goal is for cat lovers in the community to enjoy love, pursue wealth, and participate in social activities while maintaining good health.

Conclusion

The Catizen project aims to create a unique virtual pet ecosystem. Its goal is to provide a fun platform for users to nurture and interact with virtual pets and build an open, transparent, and secure digital community through decentralization. Catizen focuses on fostering user interaction and cooperation, strengthening community cohesion and engagement while highlighting the potential of blockchain technology in virtual pet development.