Bongo Cat now has more players than Banana clicker, but the reality isn’t as good as we’d hoped

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It’s surprising that a simple desktop companion game managed to dethrone the popular Banana Clicker, which was previously leading on Steam’s top 5 games list. This might sound absurd, but it’s a significant event. Normally, this list is dominated by heavyweights like CS2, Dota 2, PUBG, Apex Legends, and more recently, Marvel Rivals or last year’s sensation, the Banana game. However, another idle game has now claimed its place. Regrettably, it doesn’t mean the bot invasion has ended; they’re still very much present.

Bots, bots everywhere

The simple “Banana” game, which involves simply clicking a banana to accumulate items, has unfortunately attracted an abundance of automated programs (bots) due to its lucrative reward system. These virtual items, or “bananas,” can even be traded on the Steam Marketplace, with some fetching astonishingly high prices – such as a “Special Golden Banana” that sold for over $1,300 in 2024.

Due to its easy playability and earning possibilities, many individuals began establishing bot farms – systems that operate numerous accounts concurrently to accumulate those bananas automatically. By mid-2024, reports indicated that just a third of the players were human. It’s no wonder the game remained at the top of Steam’s charts for such an extended period.

Despite developers acknowledging a persistent money glitch that essentially generates infinite funds, no significant action has been taken to rectify the issue. This lack of response has sparked heated discussions about the game’s authenticity and whether Steam’s anti-bot measures are operational, as their effectiveness appears questionable at best.

Currently, Bongo Cat is encountering a comparable situation. This delightful pet game had an excellent debut, and I must admit that I was genuinely amazed as the player count grew steadily each day. Kudos to the developer for actively listening to feedback and making adjustments according to the community’s suggestions. On April 3rd, things really took off, and by April 11th, it officially dethroned Banana as the most popular game. In fact, just today it was ranked number 4 on Steam’s list of most played games, with over 150,000 simultaneous players. Regrettably, there’s a downside to this success story.

Much like how Bananas were being sneaked in before their surge in value, these bots have been making an appearance even prior to the increase of collectible items such as cat hats and other whimsical trinkets. Although they’re not fetching prices comparable to the Golden Banana, there’s still a profit to be made, such as the Cuckoo Clock selling for $13.50 on the Marketplace. And when money is involved, bots are sure to follow.

In Marcel Zurawka’s defense (also known as Spiced Pigeon on Steam), he has admitted to the problem and is taking action to combat it. He’s focusing on restrictions like trade limits to curb the influx of bots. Regrettably, his initial response was to suspend the trading system, a move that undeniably affected regular players adversely. Despite these attempts, the bots remain persistent in the game. It’s high time Steam took decisive action against this issue.

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2025-04-23 00:02