Is Banana a Scam? Developers Defend Controversial Clicking Game
The developers of Banana, a game where players click on a banana to earn Steam items, have strongly defended the game against scam accusations. Despite overtaking hits like Baldur's Gate 3 and Hogwarts Legacy on Steam's all-time popularity list, Banana's team insists it's legitimate and transparent.
In a recent Discord post, aesthetic spartan, co-owner of Banana and one of its three listed developers, clarified that a team member was let go after being accused of a prior Steam scam. This member claimed the incident was due to a bug, not a scam, insisting they had no involvement in any fraudulent activities.
Banana's gameplay is straightforward: players click on a banana to earn items that can be sold on Steam's marketplace. These items, varying in design from plain to more unique ones like the Rainbow Banana, typically sell for just a few cents. Despite the low individual value, the sheer volume of transactions leads to significant profits. Valve takes a 5% cut from each sale, with the developer also earning a small percentage. For instance, the most common item, the plain Banana, sold nearly 2 million units on June 18, 2024, potentially earning Valve and the developers substantial amounts.
The financial dynamics of Banana are intriguing. While most items sell for $0.03, reflecting a $0.01 listing price plus Valve and developer fees, even these small amounts add up quickly. On June 18, 2024, Valve potentially earned around $19,936.69 from sales of the plain Banana alone. This standard drop is just one of 81 items available on Banana's community marketplace.
The game’s higher-value items also contribute to its earnings. The Rainbow Banana, for instance, is listed for around $0.75 and sells less frequently than the common items. The rarest item, the Crypticnana, has only 25 units in existence and has been sold four times for over $1,000 each since June 17. While these high-value transactions yield more per sale, the bulk of revenue comes from the massive volume of low-cost items.
Developer Hery described Banana as a "legal infinite money glitch," where players earn money from a free game by selling virtual items. This unique appeal has likely contributed to the game's popularity. Initially, Banana had a bot problem, with only about one-third of concurrent users being actual players. The development team is working with Valve to address this issue.
Despite scepticism, the developers' transparency and the game's unique financial model suggest Banana is a real, if unconventional, money-making game. As it continues to grow in popularity, it remains a fascinating case study in the evolving world of digital economies and gaming.