In the vibrant world of digital games, a strange trend has surfaced - Imagine a game where the main objective is simply to let it run in the background, much like the act of watching bananas grow. Yes, bananas.
This is no ordinary game; it's called Banana, and its premise is as simple as it is confusing. Players are tasked with idly letting the game run on their computers, all in the hopes of earning a precious virtual banana.
The Strange Appeal Of Digital Fruit Farming
These bananas, which range from the banal to the downright meme-worthy (like TikTok's Sad Hamster), come in various rarities, similar to collectible cards or, for some, the sought-after skins of Counter-Strike fame.What's truly remarkable is not the gameplay itself - there's little of it - but the economy that has grown up around these digital fruits. Despite serving no practical purpose outside the game, these bananas fetch hefty prices on online markets. Some rare specimens have changed hands for amounts that rival the cost of a high-end gaming console.Banana is no isolated curiosity in the gaming universe. It has spawned several spin-offs involving everything from cucumbers to eggs, each capitalizing on the same odd mix of idleness and digital scarcity. The recent surge in popularity of a cat-based spinoff, aptly named Cats, illustrates how quickly these games can attract tens of thousands of players virtually overnight.
Questioning The Value Of Virtual Bananas
Not everyone is amused by this phenomenon, however. Critics compare the fervent trading of virtual items to the speculative bubbles of NFTs, and question the logic of spending real money on intangible goods that exist only within a game.
Those all "Games" like Banana should be banned asap. by u/dawiss2 in Steam
Debates within gaming communities have raised questions about the ethics and sustainability of such practices. Calls for stricter regulations or outright bans on these games are gaining momentum.