Welcome to the Windy City!
This Friday, June 4th, we are aiming to release Chicago in Vanilla Mode!
Properties in Chicago will be released in 2 waves in 2 different time zones and will be preceded by a stress test on Thursday, June 3rd. See below for the full release schedule.
Chicago will serve as a “Premium” city akin to Manhattan or San Francisco. This means that only 15% of properties will be priced under the “Fair Start Act” (FSA).
Chicago Fun Facts:
- Chicago is the 3rd largest city in the United States and is home to an estimated 2.7M residents
- Nicknames for Chicago include “The Windy City,” “The City of Big Shoulders,” “The Second City,” and “The City that Works”
- Chicago’s motto, urbs in horto or “city in a garden,” was adopted in the 1830s as a tribute to the city’s incredible system of historic parks
- Downtown Chicago’s underground pedestrian system, known as the Pedway, consists of tunnels and overhead bridges that cover a staggering 5 miles, and link together more than 40 city blocks in the Central Business District.
Chicago Release Details
Chicago will be released in “Vanilla mode”, which means that details for the predetermined collections will be revealed at a later date. Collection details for cities that are released in Vanilla Mode are minted to the blockchain prior to the release to ensure provable fairness for all players; please check out this Medium post for more details. When collections are revealed, all unminted properties will be repriced to reflect the collection’s impact on property value. It’s important to understand that Vanilla Mode adds an additional layer of skill to property-buying strategies, so be sure to plan accordingly.
Getting to Chicago
Players who would like to participate in this release will need to purchase a plane ticket to Chicago using the airport terminal in either San Francisco or Manhattan once the new routes are opened. These new routes will include boosted capacity for a few days prior to and during the release.
Chicago Airport Terminals
While the first Chicago terminal parcel has already been gifted, the remaining terminal parcels will be unlocked for sale before the release, so you’ll have to move quickly if you want to get your hands on these highly desirable properties. These properties will be priced similar to JFK and SFO and are likely to be quite pricey. Pay close attention to Discord as we will announce exactly when the terminals will become available for minting.
Initial Property Giveaway
One lucky Uplander will be gifted the first property in Chicago. In order to qualify for this giveaway, Uplanders and above must buy, sell, or mint a property in Upland to receive an entry. Players will be eligible to enter starting Tuesday, June 1st, at 4:00 PM, and will have 24 hours to complete the activity before entries close on Wednesday, June 2nd, at 4:00 PM.
Chicago Release Schedule:
Wednesday, June 2nd
- Flight routes to Chicago open in the morning following the gifting of the first terminal parcel. The remaining terminal parcels will open for minting 1 hour after the first parcel has been minted; we will announce the exact timing on Discord.
- The winner of the Initial Property Giveaway will also be announced and gifted on Wednesday evening.
Thursday, June 3rd at 9:00 AM PT
- Property Collections will be minted to the blockchain prior to the stress test
- Stress Test: 5000 Properties will be unlocked in Chicago
Friday, June 4th at 9:00 AM PT
- Wave 1: ~50% of properties will be released in Vanilla Mode
Sunday, June 6th at 10:00 PM PT
- Wave 2: Remaining ~50% of properties will be released in Vanilla Mode
Note: Planned releases are subject to change depending on the status of our systems. If there are any concerning issues, the release may be postponed or paused.
