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Upland, the layer-1 metaverse, has secured a unique position to attract the mass market with its open and inclusive economy. The mobile-first metaverse features a gamified experience that enables players to buy virtual properties on the Blockchain in various cities across the United States, and now in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Porto, Portugal. The utility of the properties stems from the economic opportunity provided by the Upland metaverse platform.
The platform is rapidly growing in popularity, with average monthly users reaching over 370k – But that hasn’t tempted Upland away from remaining dedicated to its founding principles: Play. Build. Earn. Connect.
Upland’s approach is cemented in simplicity and accessibility, with virtual properties starting out from $5, encouraging everyone to get involved in the economy. Unlike other metaverses, assets on the platform reflect real-world properties, structures, cars, and more. A digital land of opportunity awaits, and owning virtual properties is just the start of building an empire in Upland.
As a layer-1, Upland provides different ways for entrepreneurs, contributors, and brands to operate. Users can earn an income in Upland by setting up businesses called “metaventures”, such as showrooms on their properties or factories that produce UGC NFTs sold to the community. Developers of new or existing apps leverage Upland as a discoverability platform and set up shop.
Upland has already secured impressive global brand partners, including: The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA); FC Porto, the premier team in Portugal, and the current champion of the Primeira Liga; Mangueira Samba School; Spirit Halloween and Hyperloop. New partnerships are being explored, with more exciting updates to look out for.
In July 2022, Upland expanded into Rio de Janeiro, selling over 50k properties in the first few hours. In August 2022, Upland also expanded into Porto in Portugal, selling over 35K properties at a record pace. With these city releases come exciting new collections to complete and areas to explore in the new international expansion of Upland.
So, What Is So Appealing About Upland?
Upland is easy to learn and play. In-game value is simple to understand and doesn’t require users to deeply understand blockchain technology. Uplanders have the chance to become one of the first digital landowners and with every location mapped to a real-world address, they can explore entire cities from their mobile or desktop.
There’s plenty to enjoy on the platform, from earning rewards by completing property collections to participating in treasure hunts and competitive events. Players select an ‘Explorer’ avatar to travel the map and can even earn a return on their properties from visitor fees. Upland founders have explained that many of the platform’s elements are inspired by Monopoly, turning the traditional board game dynamic into a unique metaverse with collectible NFTs, verified by blockchain. Excitingly, NFTs are beyond collectibles – They have a purpose on the platform. Vehicle NFTs can be used to access locations inaccessible on foot, for example, and over 4M+ NFTs have been sold to date.
Building is a key element of the platform, and Upland provides the ability to develop and construct a wide array of structures. Just like in real life, structures are tethered to the property, making selling part of the fun. If players sell a parcel of land with a structure on it, they’ll sell that too. Entire neighbourhoods have been built by the community, in turn raising property values by creating fantastic, developed areas. With true ownership, users are motivated to build value on their properties and increase their net worth. Built-in social equalizers mean that, within the economy, there are different tiers of cost, with the intention of mirroring the affordability of real-world property and allowing everyone to participate.
Starting a Virtual Portfolio
Starter properties are reserved for new players and can be purchased with UPX, Upland’s digital currency. Users can quickly move onto more advanced real estate transactions, improving and flipping their own properties to increase the value of their portfolios on Upland’s free and open marketplace. To date, players have collectively earned over $7M USD, with properties in the secondary market averagely selling for 234% more than the mint price over the last six months. Upland is partnered with Tilia, allowing users to sell their properties, convert their coins to USD, and deposit their earnings directly into PayPal.
Interconnectivity Is the cornerstone of metaverses, and Upland is no exception. Socializing and collaborating with fellow Uplanders is greatly encouraged and although there’s a competitive nature to property buying, the community is known for being highly engaged and helpful to newcomers. Players can join fellow Uplanders inside the platform’s virtual hangouts or share strategies on Discord and Telegram.
Upland is seamlessly merging the exploration of metaverses with the fun and entertainment of gaming, boasting a strategic play and earn economic model, with true ownership ensured through blockchain. Ultimately, Upland’s goal is to empower users to play, create and participate in the economy. Players creating value in-game are creating value for themselves, which is Upland’s whole and exciting experience.
Upland is easy to join via an email sign-up and is currently available on desktop, iOS, and Android.
