Banana game creators insist it isn’t a “scam” as ex dev embroiled in pump & dump drama

The Banana game creators are insisting their project isn’t a “scam” after an ex-dev was embroiled in allegations of a pump and dump scheme.

Over the past few weeks, a game called Banana has overtaken Steam in a way we have never seen before. As of writing, it has managed to hit 800,000 concurrent players on Steam and has overtaken Baldur’s Gate 3 and Hogwarts Legacy on the platform’s most-played games list.

Through its rise, many questioned if the dead simple release should even be allowed on Steam, as one of the main reasons players have been checking it out is to earn in-game items they can sell for real money on the marketplace.

Amid discussions around the project, its devs took to Discord to set the matter straight, insisting Banana isn’t a “scam.” Such accusations largely surfaced after issues regarding an ex-dev were brought to light, issues involving an alleged pump and dump scheme.

In a video by TDMHeyzeus, the content creator accused one of Banana’s devs, TheseLions, of making money on Steam by creating a game that dropped an item, gifting said unit to friends, pumping it on the marketplace, and making a profit.

The game, titled Run, was eventually taken off Steam, with Valve banning its creator. However, TheseLions wasn’t banned but does have a VAC ban on their account.

After the video caught fire, one of the creators of Banana made a statement about the former developer and their involvement in the alleged scheme.

“We did not know about this until recent videos started to point this out and we had a talk almost immediately,” said co-creator Spartan. As a result of the discussions, they parted ways with TheseLions.

Spartan outlined that the game is run by him and fellow creator Sky, stating that “there is no scamming/scam going on” as well as adding that TheseLions has had all their bananas removed from their inventory and is not part of the team anymore.

“We are working on an update and cannot wait to turn this game into something bigger and better than just a clicker game,” Spartan added.