First Hasbro wanted to take the Mr. out of Mr. Potatohead, now they're giving Monopoly a "long overdue," woke makeover.
The Pawtucket based toy manufacturer is planning to toss out all of the old "Community Chest" cards, and replace them with new, socially conscious ones. They're getting rid of the Beauty Contest! Come on! That's the only way some of us will ever win one! It may only be a $10 prize but it's something. The Xmas fund is going away too, along with the rest of the cards, and will be replaced with new, more community focused cards.
In the new version of the game when you draw a "Community Chest" card and you might get a reward for "knitting cozy sweaters for hairless cats at your local animal shelter" or "rescuing a puppy." You may get a bonus for "Shopping Local" or "raising money for your local hospital."
Not all of the cards are good. You might have to pay if you "play your music too loud" or "fail to recycle."
And Hasbro is asking for your help in choosing the new cards. The company's chief consumer officer Eric Nyman said, "We felt like 2021 was the perfect time to give fans the opportunity to show the world what community means to them through voting on new Community Chest Cards."
You can cast your vote HERE!
So the big question is, will the original version of the game still be available? I hope they learned a lesson from New Coke, and still keep the old game around for us old folks who don't like change. You know what Monopoly can change? Make that Free Parking rule a real thing!
Look for the new version of Monopoly in stores starting this Fall!
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Alex Wong