What Is Decentraland and How Do You Play?

Decentraland is a decentralized 3D virtual reality platform made up of 90,601 parcels of land. The virtual real estate parcels in this decentralized realm are NFTs that can be bought using MANA, the platform's cryptocurrency, which is built on the Ethereum blockchain. It opened to the public in February 2020, and the platform is overseen by the nonprofit Decentraland Foundation. So what is Decentraland and how do you play?

What Is Decentraland?

Decentraland is a 3D virtual world owned by its players. Although the nonprofit Decentraland Foundation oversees the game's development, what ultimately gets created depends on the people who own land in the game. Players can buy and sell land NFTs using MANA, Decentraland's native currency. Once a player owns a plot, they can start building on it, designing houses, bars, gardens, parks, or whatever else they can think of.

After Facebook rebranded as Meta in October 2021, Metaverse games like Decentraland and The Sandbox rose in both value and popularity. Investors and users are hopeful that these Metaverse-focused games will become giants in Web3, the next iteration of the internet where users can own their online assets through decentralized blockchain technologies.

Not wanting to be left behind, dozens of brands and companies flocked to Decentraland and bought land in highly sought-after spots to build out their Metaverse assets. JPMorgan (NYSE: JPM) recently opened a luxury lounge in MetaJuku Mall, crypto exchanges like Kraken and Binance set up buildings, and Miller Lite even created its own dive bar. But beyond soaking in all the brand advertising or hanging out with friends dressed as polar bears, what can players actually do in Decentraland?

How Do You Play Decentraland?

Join In-Game Events

Many people first set foot in Decentraland to attend parties held there. Those who attend an event in Decentraland can expect a POAP that can be requested for their avatar's character, live music, and even a free wearable NFT item. Some notable past events include a MetaMask party celebrating 10 million active users, Decentraland's second birthday party, and a Super Bowl LVI event held at Miller Lite's Metaverse dive bar.

If you're new to Decentraland, looking at upcoming events like these can be a great place to start. You'll be able to get some free loot for your avatar that can be bought and sold for free on OpenSea's NFT marketplace. Since these items are given away for free, don't expect them to be very valuable at first. However, items are often limited to around 6,000, so a free item that has no value right after the party can increase in value in the months after the event.

You can keep track of future events by following the companies and projects that have hosted them in the past. Additionally, when you first log into Decentraland, check the announcement board right in front of you at Genesis Plaza. You can see a list of all ongoing and upcoming events, along with dates, times, and locations.

Visit an Art Gallery

NFT art is becoming an important part of Web3 culture, and proof of its significance can be found all over Decentraland. Players can find various galleries around the map, including some from established NFT art platforms like Async Art and SuperRare. The world-renowned auction house Sotheby's also has a presence in Decentraland.

There are also several player-made galleries, ranging from curated collections by prominent NFT artists like XCOPY and Bored Ape Yacht Club to a gallery dedicated to rare Pepe the Frog memes. Check out locations at and around other major galleries like the Crypto Valley Art Gallery and the SuperRare museum for new exhibitions.

Besides offering a taste of crypto culture, these galleries can also hand out rewards to players. For example, those who visited the Rarible gallery and claimed a POAP on October 14 became eligible to receive a RARI token airdrop in December. Whenever a POAP is offered at an art gallery event, make sure to claim one — it could pay off as proof that you were an early patron down the line.

Earn Wearable Items

One of the biggest advantages of Web3 games is the ability to truly own your in-game items, and Decentraland delivers this with a constantly expanding pool of wearables that players can earn, buy, and sell.

A popular way to earn some new outfits in Decentraland is by playing crazy golf. Players can head to GolfCraft and start earning gold coins in the game's tutorial mode. Once you're in a game, you'll be teleported to a course filled with jump pads, magnets, ramps, loops, and everything else you'd expect from a normal round of crazy golf.

Once you've learned the basics, you can enter competitive games against other players for 20 gold coins. Those who finish the competitive course with the fewest strokes can earn "fashion tickets" that can be used for wearables in the GolfCraft store. Make sure to check the GolfCraft Twitter account to stay up to date on special events and competitions and for a chance to earn unique wearables.

If golf isn't your cup of tea but you still want new outfits for your avatar, head to WonderMine, a meteor mining game where players can also earn in-game wearables. Compared to GolfCraft, WonderMine takes relatively less effort — all players have to do is click on meteors that periodically fall from the sky to collect ores and gemstones. These resources can then be used to craft more efficient mining pickaxes or the wearable tokens needed to produce clothing. Besides looking great, wearables earned from WonderMine also give bonuses for meteor mining.

What's Next for Decentraland?

Decentraland is by no means a finished product; by its very nature, it will always be a constantly evolving mix of whatever its users decide to create. Because of this, many plots are still under development and occupy large areas with no buildings or attractions. But that doesn't mean there isn't enough reason to jump in and explore.

New projects, games, and interesting spots pop up every week, drawing more people into Decentraland and getting them used to the ideals of Web3 and the Metaverse. Although the user experience is still lacking in many areas, it seems clear that the popularity surrounding Decentraland goes beyond hype.

The game offers users new ways to connect, engage with art, earn money, and have fun. By learning the ins and outs of Decentraland early, players can give themselves an edge as Web3 and virtual worlds continue to expand and grow.

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