# CryptoKitties craze slows down transactions on Ethereum



## dorsetknob (Dec 5, 2017)

A new craze for virtual kittens is slowing down trade in one of the largest crypto-currencies.

CryptoKitties lets players buy and breed "crypto-pets" on Ethereum's underlying blockchain network.

The game's developers told the Bloomberg news agency that CryptoKitties was a "key step" to making blockchains more accessible.

But its popularity has underscored one of the technology's biggest downsides: its lack of scalability.

Etherscan has reported a sixfold increase in pending transactions on Ethereum since the game's release, by the Axiom Zen innovation studio, on 28 November.

"CryptoKitties has become so popular that it's taking up a significant amount of available space for transactions on the Ethereum platform," said Garrick Hileman, from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance.

"Some people are concerned that a frivolous game is now going to be crowding out more serious, significant-seeming business uses."

An estimated $4.5m (£3.35m) has been spent on the cartoon cats at the time of writing, according to Crypto 
Kitty Sales.

MEOWllll


----------



## R-T-B (Dec 5, 2017)

Ethereum markets itself as a development platform more than a currency.  I mean what do they expect?  People going to make things they consider bullshit, that's the nature of development platforms.  You market it this way, you reap what you sow.


----------



## trog100 (Dec 12, 2017)

the etherium network is overloaded as it is without dumb f-ck crypto kitties.. he he

i am having trouble getting my etherium out of minergate.. they say they have shut down etherium withdrawals.. i recon the f-cking kitties might have something to do with that.. 

trog


----------



## TheoneandonlyMrK (Dec 12, 2017)

The devs should incentivize mining it better but i think nicehash being down is in part of the issue.


----------

