In my journey through the Web3 world, I wanted to give the “Loaded Lions: Mane City“project more than one chance. With this article, I aim to share what I have learned during the first season of the competitive mode in Mane City: The Rise of the Golden City. This will help us answer a question many users might be asking: Can you really earn with Mane City?
Before we begin, it’s important to note that Mane City is part of the Web3 and cryptocurrency world. Therefore, this reading is not recommended for users who have never had experience with digital currencies or, more broadly, investments.
Having made this necessary preamble, let’s start this journey!
What is Loaded Lions: Mane City
My last article on the subject may have aged poorly. I analyzed many elements of the game before its official launch. However, today we have a clear vision of this innovative project in the Web3 world.
Developed by Stepico in collaboration with Crypto.com and Cronos Labs, Loaded Lions: Mane City is a tycoon management game that immerses players in the strategic construction and management of cities within a blockchain context.
The game combines the fun of gaming with the opportunity to earn cryptocurrencies. However, to ensure a minimal chance of profit, an investment in some NFTs is almost indispensable. Some, more or less expensive, indeed offer advantages in terms of the production of game elements, such as money and diamonds.
In short, the more NFTs you own, the more advantageous it will be.
NFTs and Bonuses: How to Approach Mane City
NFTs like the Loaded Lions, which is Crypto.com’s main collection currently with a floor price of $1000, offer exclusive benefits in terms of staking and rewards within the Cronos ecosystem.
Within Mane City, however, owning them is not essential as they only provide a 10% bonus in the game’s money production.
Here, the most important element is diamonds, which are used to level up our businesses. Diamonds are primarily generated through the ownership of Arid Lands (unlockable in-game) or First Frontier Lands, the minimum price of which is currently $60.
Even the bonuses given by other NFTs such as expedition tools are not capable of boosting diamond production to the same extent as a Land of any rarity.
Therefore, accumulating diamonds can be costly in terms of NFTs to purchase. However, approaching a competitive season in Mane City without NFTs can be problematic and decidedly unprofitable, although there are exceptions that I will bring to your attention.
Mane City Competitive Mode: How It Works
At the beginning of each Season, every player starts from zero, albeit supported by the bonuses provided by the NFTs they own, especially the more rare lands. Once the game starts, you receive your first business and must unlock others by leveling up within your base, known as the Mane Mansion.
If you want to spend less, with the drop of the first businesses, a bit of luck starts to be required. Some businesses are rarer, hence easily resellable. Others require less use of diamonds to increase their level (referred to as Prestige in the game).
With the right strategy, it will be possible to compete for a good position in the rankings or start to realize some small profits.
At the end of the Season, any progress made within the Competitive Mode will be lost, and the player will receive a portion of the prize pool based on their final ranking position, formed by all the participants
Mane City Gameplay: A Long Way to Go
Before delving into my personal experience, having noticed that many Crypto.com NFT owners have never participated in the game, I feel it’s necessary to explain the gameplay of this Web3 game, with its strengths and weaknesses.
Starting from the base of a classic tycoon game, the goal of generating and using money and diamonds to level up one’s businesses is fundamental. The game requires active and constant engagement from the player, as there is no automated or semi-automated mode. This can lead to repetitive activities such as placing furniture in the Mane Mansion or compulsively clicking on businesses to level them up.
The vibrant colors and some dynamics will give us a sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of harmful slot machines. Yet, unlike Mane City, even those are often automated.
The lack of buttons or functions that facilitate the player’s and businesses’ level progression could indeed be a point of friction for some players, especially in the Web3 world where many users are more investors than avid or gambling players.
Introducing new gameplay dynamics or features could certainly make “Loaded Lions: Mane City” more appealing to a broader audience. Based on the patch notes and information available on the Mane City Playbook, it’s evident that developers are attentive to player feedback and constantly working to improve the gaming experience.
This aspect is crucial to ensuring that “Loaded Lions: Mane City” continues to grow and adapt to the needs of an increasingly diverse and broad player community.
Mane City Rise of the Golden City: My Experience
The announcement of a $244,000 prize pool to be distributed mainly among the top 100 ranked players was what motivated me to participate in the first competitive season.
What I learned is that the game requires a lot of time, largely due to the lack of automation I’ve mentioned before.
Despite the time dedicated, my modest gain in diamonds (the real OP element of the game) and a suboptimal strategy, led me to a respectable 347th place in the rankings. I chose to play until the end, foregoing what is perhaps Mane City’s greatest weapon: the ability to sell one’s business to other users.
To be competitive, in fact, it is also necessary to spend money within the game, in the right way and at the right time. This buying and selling phase is the most difficult part of the game, considering that our progress will be lost at the end of the Competitive Mode.
In this first season, during the first and last days of the season, the market for purchasing rare and legendary businesses literally exploded, especially for those businesses that occupy only one or two slots on our lands. Particularly in the last hours of the game, there was a real bidding frenzy, with huge money movements between players.
Personally, I had received offers of up to 500 CRO for my three best businesses (a total of $150), but as I mentioned earlier, I chose to play. Nonetheless, other users also wanted to share their experience at the end of this season. For instance, the user DSIGAL reported selling about 4-5 businesses, earning a total of about 200 CRO without having invested further in the game’s mechanisms.
Mane City: Money Coming In or Going Out?
My season thus concluded with a gain of $40 and an NFT prize with a total value of about $50-100. This, of course, does not take into account how much I actually spent in preparation for this season.
However, there are real possibilities for small earnings even for casual players. Even for those who have not invested large initial sums. It just takes a bit of luck and a good strategy.
If you own many Lands and other NFTs compatible with Mane City, it’s worth playing to give utility to NFTs that would otherwise remain unused in your digital wallet until their sale. This will allow us to generate small incomes before a potential ROI from selling the NFTs themselves.
For large profits, however, one should aim for the top positions in the rankings or be skilled at placing their businesses at the best price at the right time. In any case, it should be noted that there are top 100 players who have invested in this single season more than they actually earned from the prize pool. Not to mention the substantial initial expenses for their own NFTs.
In conclusion, for casual players, with a bit of luck, it is possible to realize small earnings. For large investors, on the other hand, a landing in the Top 100 with substantial earnings is possible, although realistically difficult. The compromise towards this goal would be to endure a whole month of complicated, not optimized, and partly boring game dynamics.
Remember to share and leave a comment if you liked the article or if you think I will lose all my money. See you next time!
