July 30, 2006
RIP, Monopoly money?

This is wrong on more levels than I can articulate.


While Monopoly is the paragon of good 'ole fashioned board game fun, the "old fashioned" part had to go. Parker Brothers is phasing out the cash-based version's funmoney and replacing it with an "Electronic Banking" flavor that could leave Mr. Moneybags turning his pockets inside out as his stash is replaced by a magnetic strip. New kits are completely devoid of the famous multi-colored bills; instead, you'll find phoney Visa debit cards and a calculator / reader which keeps a running tabulation of your riches -- or lack thereof. A deal was struck with Visa to design the mock cards and readers, presumably after surveys showed that 70% of adults used cash less often now than they did a decade ago (no surprise there). When asked about the dramatic change, Parker said replacing cash with plastic "showed the game was moving with the times."

Yet another cultural metaphor of my youth going down the tubes. Is nothing sacred?

Via Fighting Jay Lee (none more surly than he), who notes that the old-fogey cash-enabled game will still be available "while supplies last". Get 'em while you can, kids.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on July 30, 2006 to Society and cultcha | TrackBack
Comments

How the heck are you supposed to "loan" yourself a $100 bill... or do an official loan.

Posted by: wich on July 31, 2006 9:31 AM

The FJL meme shall spread from sea to shining sea!

Posted by: Laurence Simon on July 31, 2006 10:44 AM

Bummer. Running the bank was how I learned to add and subtract rapidly in my head. Things like that make a kid's brain grow. Don't you sometimes wonder, where will the synapse connections of the future come from?

Posted by: Mike Chappell on July 31, 2006 10:53 AM

Bummer. Running the bank was how I learned to add and subtract rapidly in my head.

Yeah, and I understand that running the bank was how an 8 year old Andrew Fastow got his start, too. He was apparent undefeated from age 8-17 having mastered an obscure loophole that allowed him to sell Reading Railroad an average of 47 times per game.

Posted by: Patrick on July 31, 2006 4:22 PM

Y'all don't think they'd do something like this and then re-introduce "Classic Monopoly", do you? How many people really need to buy Monopoly at this point, anyhow? Doesn't pretty much everybody have it by now?

Posted by: Sue on August 1, 2006 7:14 AM