According to data from Steam, Banana reached a peak of over 858,000 concurrent players, briefly surpassing popular titles like Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2.The game’s sudden popularity has left many wondering what makes it so appealing.
Why Banana is breaking records
One reason for Banana’s success is its unique reward system. Players can earn virtual bananas by clicking on the game’s titular fruit, which can then be sold on the Steam Community Market for real money. Some rare bananas have sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars, with the “Crypticnana” being listed for over $1,000.
The developers told Polygon that they believe the game’s success is due to it being a “legal ‘infinite money glitch'” where “users make money out of a free game while selling free virtual items.”
However, the game’s rapid growth has not been without challenges. The developers estimate that up to two-thirds of the peak concurrent players may be bots designed to farm rare banana drops by running the game on multiple accounts simultaneously. The team is working with Steam to address the botting issue and ensure fair play for all users.
The small development team behind Banana, consisting of just four people, has been overwhelmed by the game’s sudden popularity. They have been working to curate the banana designs, many of which are created by the game’s growing community of over 10,000 Discord members.
Despite the challenges, Banana’s success has tapped into the appeal of collecting, trading, and selling digital items. Although, it remains to be seen whether its popularity will be a lasting trend or a short-lived phenomenon.