Monopoly is one of the most famous games ever invented and has been at the forefront of mainstream culture since its inception in 1935. There are few games that have managed to endure for as long as this, but a common feature of those that have is their willingness to adapt and evolve. Because Parker Brothers and Hasbro were open to and welcoming of expansion, Monopoly has been represented in hundreds of other formats over the years while all the time retaining its core elements.
Monopoly is One of The Widest Stretching Franchises Ever
Monopoly can be traced back all the way to 1903, when Lizzie Magie created The Landlord’s Game as a way to explain single-tax theory. Magie marketed it herself and it inspired numerous other games that involved the buying and selling of property. The game gained so much attention that the Parker Brothers bought the patent in 1935 and prepared to distribute it on a mass scale. At that point, few could have envisioned just how successful the game would become.
Monopoly is the fourth-highest selling board game of all time, beaten only by backgammon, checkers, and chess. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, with these titles having existed for hundreds of years. It should be noted that chess has also done well in adapting to the internet. Part of Monopoly’s success in global markets was in the variety of versions of the board on offer. Along with numerous US and UK variants, there are also special edition offerings based on popular culture including Star Wars and Game of Thrones.
Hasbro’s embracing of the internet has given the franchise a massive boost in recent years, and it has helped the game stay relevant as technology has progressed. There are now various casino games based on the board game, including Monopoly Big Event. This is one of the free games listed at Vegasslotsonline, where there are other popular titles mentioned like The Wizard of Oz and Gonzo’s Quest. Elsewhere in the casino industry, there is a much-loved Monopoly Live game that is an interesting twist on the big wheel format.
Other online versions of Monopoly can be found on mobile. Players of the portable device can choose between titles like Monopoly Bingo and Monopoly Slots. There are also games that were inspired by Monopoly, such as Crazypoly and Board Kings.
Monopoly Plus Provides a Glimpse of The Future
One of the most advanced digitalised versions of the Hasbro classic is Monopoly Plus, which was developed by Asobo Studios and released by Ubisoft in 2014. The game was available for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. It was later ported to Nintendo Switch in 2017 and Google Stadia in 2020 by Engine Software.
This offering took the classic game of Monopoly and turned it into a living, breathing city. The aim of the game remained the same, with players having to roll the dice, buy and sell property, and pay up if they landed on somewhere that someone owned. The main difference here was the immersive animations as the game progressed. Players could watch their chosen piece travel around this fully-realised metropolis, and it added an exciting new dimension to the game.
Surely The Next Step Will be Entering Monopoly Cities
Due to the success of Monopoly for consoles, developers will surely want to keep progressing the game’s evolution with new and improved versions. They may look to capitalise on the fact that players loved being able to enter the Monopoly city and see other things going on outside of the action of the game. This could most certainly be enhanced with the use of virtual reality.
With virtual reality involved, players could have the opportunity to actually become their chosen Monopoly piece and travel around the board from a first-person perspective. This would be like entering the game and would allow the player to feel as if they really were a property magnate. With VR expected to boom over the next few years, this idea is most certainly a possibility.
Another way to make use of advanced technology would be to create a digital version of the Monopoly Builder games. Players could have the opportunity to create their own Monopoly cities before playing the game within them. Alternatively, the game could start as an open expanse of land, and players build properties on it as they advance around the board. It could be enjoyable to see the evolution of a miniature city over the course of a game.
The fact that Monopoly has endured for so many decades suggests that the game is going nowhere. It has constantly adapted to advancements in technology and has continued to attract players in this way. As soon as VR becomes mainstream, it is fair to assume that Monopoly will be made available for it.
