A sign of the times

[homeschoolmom]

[url="http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,70131-1228653,00.html"]http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,70131-1228653,00.html[/url]

Mayfair? Put It On The Card
Updated: 17:06, Monday July 24, 2006

Monopoly board game players can now pay for properties with debit cards.

Game makers Parker have phased out the standard multi-coloured cash in a new version.

Players will instead use a Visa mock debit card to keep track of how much they win or lose.

It is inserted into an electronic machine where the banker taps in cardholders' earnings and payments.

Parker said replacing of cash with plastic showed the game was moving with the times.


Mayfair - the most expensive property on the board. Spokesman Chris Weatherhead said: "The new electronic Monopoly reflects the changing nature of society and the advancement of technology."

The new version follows a YouGov survey of 2,056 adults which showed 70% used cash less often than they did a decade ago.

It is part of an international deal between Parker and finance giant Visa, which designed the mock debit card and its electronic machine.

[Fides_et_Ratio]

that was the most exciting part of monopoly... spreading out all that fake cash...

[heavenseeker]

but why? that fake money was a sence of power

[MissScripture]

I know! I always used to convert it to the lowest possible bills so that I could feel like I had more...although there was nothing quite like having a 500...
Are they also changing the prices to actually reflect real prices? Because I don't think $100 for a rail road is very realistic...

[isilzha]

I think it could be fun. I always had a hard time from keeping all my money from falling off the table.

[MissScripture]

My sister and I also would hide our money, so no one knew exactly how much we had...that won't work anymore...

[DAF]

Monopoly money is legendary. It's eternal. Parker Bros. can never kill it! NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jswranch]

Now how am I going to cheat? Being banker used to be an easy win!

[Guest Rick777]

As much as I liked the money I'm kind of looking forward to this new way.

[heavenseeker]

[quote name='Rick777' post='1030861' date='Jul 25 2006, 10:16 PM']
As much as I liked the money I'm kind of looking forward to this new way.
[/quote]
i guess it will have its plus side of being a lot faster

[indescribable]

monopoly draaaags on forever. i know what you mean. i think it might be fun for a little bit, but they'll still have the real fake money around.

[homeschoolmom]

But what will we say when travelling abroad? "I spent all my money so fast because it looked just like Monop... Oh, wait never mind."

[Tony]

I think what will happen is people will complain, sales will go down, then they will bring back the paper Dinero.

[prose]

[quote name='isilzha' post='1030816' date='Jul 25 2006, 08:28 PM']
I think it could be fun. I always had a hard time from keeping all my money from falling off the table.
[/quote]

Me too!

I think it is a great idea. Much less messy.

As for the paper money, I think Monopoly will eventually either return it to the game, or will make 2 sets of game which you can choose either or (like Taboo did when it went electronic). The paper money (the cheap version) or the ELECTRONIC (trumpets please) version for like 20 extra bucks.

[homeschoolmom]

Not like they don't have a bazillion versions already anyway.

[Tindomiel]

I'd almost be inclined to think this was a practical joke, it seems so absurd. I mean, the paper money is like the essence of the game.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

It's more fun with paper money.

[isilzha]

[quote name='Tony' post='1031060' date='Jul 26 2006, 07:45 AM']
I think what will happen is people will complain, sales will go down, then they will bring back the paper Dinero.
[/quote]

I hope they will keep both a paper money version of the game, and this new one.

It's a great way to keep us buying different versions of the game.

[journeyman]

It is interesting that a game developed during the Depression (when cash was king) would bring the concept of credit back into game play

Interesting history of the game:

[url="http://www.hasbro.com/monopoly/pl/page.history/dn/default.cfm"]http://www.hasbro.com/monopoly/pl/page.his.../dn/default.cfm[/url]

[url="http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa121997.htm"]http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa121997.htm[/url]

[url="http://adena.com/adena/mo/"]http://adena.com/adena/mo/[/url]

[url="http://tt.tf/gamehist/mon-index.html"]http://tt.tf/gamehist/mon-index.html[/url]

[isilzha]

[quote]The longest game in a bathtub lasted 99 hours! [/quote]