December 15, 2021

City Expansion: The Bronx

[UPDATE: Dec. 14th, 2021]

Tomorrow Wednesday, December 15th, at 7:00 AM PT, we will begin the release of the Bronx. We will begin the release of the Bronx by opening up the "Pelham Gardens" as a stress test to ensure optimal performance. Pending a successful test, we will proceed with opening the remainder of all properties in the Bronx. Full details below.

Note: We are tentatively planning for maintenance tomorrow sometime after the opening of the Bronx in preparation for an upcoming major release.

[UPDATE: Dec. 8th, 2021]

THE BRONX POSTPONED

Thank you for participating in today’s stress test. Over the course of the stress test, we experienced a record high of logged-in players. Even though almost 2,000 properties were minted in under 10 minutes, there are some obvious lag issues we need to investigate. As a result, we will not be continuing with the opening of the Wakefield neighborhood. We’re working to review all of the information collected during today’s stress test and will have an update for you later today. 


The Bronx: Stress Test Pt. 2

We are tentatively planning to conduct a follow-up stress test for the Bronx tomorrow, Thursday, December 9th, at 8:00 AM PT. The test will begin with the opening of the “Baychester” neighborhood in the Bronx. Assuming platform stability, we will continue with the opening of the “Wakefield” neighborhood. We hope to see you all for tomorrow’s test.

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Upland has experienced record growth and activity in the last month. In just the past few days, we have seen record levels of Daily Active Users (75k), Daily Transaction Volume (184M UPX), as well as Daily Trading Volume (10.6k Trades). Cities surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area are almost entirely sold out, and cities in Manhattan’s sphere of influence have been sold out for quite some time. This has created significant pressure on the supply and demand of their respective locales, which highlights the need for additional city expansions.

Our ongoing city release strategy is strongly influenced by dynamic factors such as overall supply and demand for property, local supply and demand (and its effect on secondary markets), the supply of affordable properties for new players (including FSA), partnerships, as well as current and expected levels of growth and activity. Marketplace activity in City Hubs like Manhattan–and neighboring cities like Brooklyn and Staten Island–has never been higher, and inventory never more limited. To support the increased demand for properties in or near City Hubs, we are excited to announce that the Bronx in New York will be the latest addition to the metaverse! The Bronx will also be our first expansion city to hit the metaverse utilizing our new city tiering framework

Continue reading for details on the terminal sale, travel routes, and release schedule below…

Future City Release Plans

As the economy quickly matures, Hubs are quickly becoming centers for activity in the Upland metaverse, and it’s critical that we continually evaluate the health of the marketplace to determine what cities will come next. In the coming months, expect to see details on an additional West Coast expansion, in addition to a brand new City Hub to support the influx of player activity. 

The Bronx Release Details

The Bronx is currently planned to release tomorrow, Wednesday, December 15th, at 7:00 AM PT.

Roughly ~20% of properties in the Bronx will be reserved under the “Fair Start Act” (FSA). Similar to the release of Nashville, the Bronx will be released in Vanilla mode, and all collections will be revealed approximately 1 week after the city launch.

City Information

  • Send Fees (Lo/Hi/Default): 20/100/40 UPX
  • Airport: None
  • Collection Range: 9-15
  • FSA Allocation: ~20%
  • Treasure Hunt Tier: 2


Terminal Sale

In preparation for the release of the Bronx, NY, 10 train terminal parcels will be available in the Upland Store on Sunday, December 5th, at 9:00 AM PT. Registration for this special sale will begin on Saturday, December 4th, at 8:00 AM PT and will remain open for 24 hours.

Note: Bronx terminals will only be available in the Web Version of the Upland App.


Fun Facts About the Bronx

  • Most people think that Central Park is the biggest park in NYC. However, Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx is actually three times the size of Central Park!
  • The United States’ largest metropolitan zoo is in the Bronx! The Bronx Zoo has been open since 1899 (making it 122 years old!) and is is home to more than 4,000 animals.


Getting to the Bronx

Players looking to head to the Bronx can travel to the city via the train stations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Rutherford. 


Note: These new routes will have boosted capacity for a few days prior to and during the release.


The Bronx Release Schedule

Monday

  • The Bronx Terminals will be Minted
  • After Terminals are Minted, Travel Routes will Open


Tuesday 

  • 8:00 AM PT: Stress Test Begins in the Kingsbridge neighborhood 
  • ~8:15 AM PT: The Wakefield neighborhood will open for minting


Wednesday (12/15)

  • 7:00 AM PT: The Bronx release will begin by opening the Pelham Gardens neighborhood
  • ~7:15 AM PT: Assuming platform stability, the remainder of the Bronx will open for minting (minus certain excluded properties)


Thank you all for your support in the growth of the metaverse!


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