NFT REVIEW Discover Paris in Upland’s Latest City Opening

Upland, a Web3 gaming platform that combines virtual property ownership with real-world locations, has announced the opening of its newest digital city, Paris. In keeping with the host city of the 2024 Summer Olympics, the digital replica of the French capital places a world-famous mix of history, culture, and excitement into the Upland universe.

Being known for its iconic and luxurious appeal, prices in Paris are premium. However, to accommodate all players, Upland is also releasing the more affordable starter city, Saint-Denis, as a dual launch.

Sandbox Partnership and Neighborhood Launch

One major part of this release is the creation of the Sandbox neighbourhood in Paris. The Enfants-Rouges neighbourhood, the location of The Sandbox’s real headquarters, will be re-established in Upland.

Owners of LAND and SAND will also receive properties in this very neighbourhood after a joint design competition to give it a new architectural style is complete. The Enfants-Rouges neighbourhood opens at a later date, adding even more to the Paris experience. 

Upland Property Pre-selling and City Opening

In an attempt to make the city launch more accessible, the release of Paris in Upland takes place over two days. The first day will feature the Upland Property Pre-Sale. In this new initiative, about 25% of properties will be purchasable directly in-store using UPX and USD.

Registration to participate in this pre-sale is open on Tuesday, July 30, at 9 a.m. PT. The sale will be available on Wednesday, July 31, opening at 9 a.m. PT and closing at 6 a.m. PT on Thursday, August 1. Saint-Denis is not on presale. Both single properties and bundles are going to be available during the presale, with properties delivered directly to players’ wallets. 

On the second day, Paris and Saint-Denis open in the traditional manner, commencing at 9 a.m. PT on August 1.

It will include selling properties that have not yet been minted and pre-sale of unsold properties through competitive city openings to make it more fun for players. 

Through the initial three hours, it is possible to earn Mint Master Badges. Mint Masters offers four different activities that players can partake in during the first 3 hours of each city opening and expansion, adding a competitive and rewarding edge.

Travel Enhancements and Collections

Upland will announce collections for Paris only once all the properties in the collection have been fully minted. Announcements will be made each Thursday for collections minted out the previous week until the final day of Sizzle Season, September 16th. Any collection not minted out in full by that date will be re-announced, locked, repriced, and reopened for minting.

For added accessibility, a single click will take the player directly to Paris for one week from the day of its release. The teleportation cost to Paris is 1,500 UPX, paid one way, and this function will expire on Friday, August 2, at 9 a.m. PT.

City Opening Collector’s Passes and Building Models

Upland is also debuting the City Opening Collector’s Pass for both Paris and Saint-Denis, which will have a 20% mint chance applied to collection properties, up from the standard 15%.

They will be tradeable with a snapshot taken on August 2, with holders receiving a specific address to do the minting and the window closing on August 5 at 9 a.m. PT. Any open, unminted properties will then be put up for public minting.

Furthermore, Upland is also introducing six exclusive building models available within Paris for a limited period. These models will help enhance this city’s unique charm, with construction opportunities only open during certain windows in August.

Lastly, to celebrate the grand opening of Paris, Upland is presenting a Sweetener Sale, with two unique packages that contain matching unique Block Explorers and additional UPX.

Editor’s note: Written with the assistance of AI – Edited and fact-checked by Jason Newey.