Upland

Upland began its journey in 2018 and officially launched in 2019 with a mission to build the world’s largest open digital economy on the blockchain. The platform mirrors real-world geography, offering players a digital twin of Earth where they can purchase and develop virtual properties. These assets are owned on-chain, enabling true digital ownership and empowering players to earn, trade, and build with long-term value. Upland has grown into one of the most active Web3 metaverse ecosystems in existence.

The platform’s core gameplay centers around acquiring, developing, and monetizing virtual real estate. However, Upland goes far beyond a property trading game. Players engage in daily activities such as treasure hunts, city tours, racing, and design contests. Through “Metaventures,” users can open virtual shops, showrooms, and manufacturing centers to sell NFTs, creating real monetization pathways. User-generated content is a key pillar, with creators using no-code tools to mint assets, decorate buildings, and craft custom experiences within the Upland economy.

What sets Upland apart is its focus on accessibility. New users don’t need a wallet or tokens to get started—registration is simple and quick. The game provides a fiat-onramp and automatically generates an EOS blockchain account once the player reaches “Uplander” status. From there, players gain permanent ownership of their NFTs and in-game currency like UPX and SPARKLET. Over time, players can progress through ranks (Visitor → Uplander → Pro → Director → Executive → Chair), each level unlocking new rewards and game mechanics.

Backed by brands like FIFA, NFLPA, and UNICEF, Upland has integrated official digital collectibles and hosted large-scale, brand-led events. These partnerships have helped attract millions of users while strengthening its reputation as a serious player in the metaverse gaming space. Upland supports a network of third-party developers through APIs, allowing anyone to connect apps, games, and content directly into the world map, further extending the platform's versatility.

In terms of competition, The Sandbox and Decentraland also offer blockchain-based virtual worlds, but with a focus on 3D avatar interaction and land-based scripting. Unlike these, Upland is geo-based and structured more like a Web3 simulation economy. Other similar projects include Voxels and Nifty Island, which prioritize user creativity and social interaction, but lack Upland's robust economic framework and real-world mapping.

As of 2025, Upland supports over 3 million registered accounts, with more than 8 million NFTs minted and over $16 million earned by players. It remains one of the most consistently active Web3 games, driven by its focus on ownership, community, and expanding economic opportunities in the metaverse. Through its continued development and emphasis on open participation, Upland is shaping the future of decentralized gaming and digital economies.

Upland offers a wide range of gameplay mechanics designed to simulate a vibrant, player-owned economy within a real-world mapped metaverse:

• Virtual Property Trading: Players buy, sell, and trade digitally mapped properties based on real-world locations. Property values are influenced by location, collections, and player demand.
• Treasure Hunts and Challenges: Daily treasure hunts and time-limited challenges reward players with UPX, SPARKLET, or exclusive digital items. These events add continuous engagement and competition.
• Metaventure Businesses: Launch your own player-owned business within Upland by opening shops, showrooms, or factories. Sell NFTs and generate in-game or real-world income.
• Vehicle Ownership and Racing: Own, build, and race digital cars on Upland’s city tracks. Vehicle stats and strategy impact race outcomes, and racing will expand further with upcoming transport utilities.
• City Tours and Events: Participate in city openings, guided tours, and seasonal events that provide rewards, NFTs, and community recognition.
• Crafting and Building: Stake SPARKLET to create 3D assets like cars, ornaments, or decor items. These assets are fully tradable and enhance your properties’ visual and strategic value.
• Leveling and Progression: Advance through multiple ranks, from Visitor to Chair, by growing your UPX net worth. Each rank unlocks new capabilities, rewards, and business tools.
• Social & Community Interaction: Use in-game chat, Discord, and forums to connect, trade, and build with other players. Strong community ties play a major role in collaborative experiences.
• XStacks Casual Game: Upland’s native game on X, XStacks, is a social block-stacking game where players earn rewards and help their cities climb global leaderboards.
• True Ownership & Blockchain Integration: All progress is stored on-chain. Reaching Uplander status ensures permanent ownership of your digital assets via the EOS blockchain.

Upland offers an intuitive onboarding experience that makes it easy for users to jump in, even without a crypto background:

• Step 1 – Access the Platform: Go to play.upland.me or download the mobile app on iOS or Android.
• Step 2 – Sign Up: Register using your email address. No crypto wallet is required to start. You can explore as a guest or immediately start buying properties.
• Step 3 – Verify Account: Confirm your email and start exploring Upland as a Visitor. You’ll receive a free UPX grant to claim your first FSA (Fair Start Act) property.
• Step 4 – Enable Security: Go to Settings → Authentication and enable 2FA (SMS or Google Authenticator) to secure your valuable assets.
• Step 5 – Complete KYC: To unlock all earning features like Spark rewards, trading, and event access, complete the KYC process directly in the app.
• Step 6 – Learn & Grow: Join Discord or Reddit, read community guides, participate in Treasure Hunts, and upgrade your status to Uplander and beyond.