Monopoly for Millennials Is All About the Experience

This holiday season, Hasbro wants you to roll the dice for experience—not money—when it comes to its new version of Monopoly. No, we’re not talking about Monopoly Fortnite. Nor are we talking about Cheater’s Monopoly (yes, that is a thing: weird new version of Monopoly). No. We’re talking Monopoly for Millennials and, much like the millennial generation, you either love it or hate it.

Originally thought to be a joke, the new version became all too real when it turned up in stores and was briefly sold out in stores and online. Unlike traditional Monopoly, which is about cash, this version focuses on collecting experiences as you travel across the board. Players pick up experience points by plopping on squares such as a farmers’ market.

Some saw the funny in this version of the classic game (and painful truth), while others didn’t. As a result of social media backlash, Hasbro emailed CNN the following:

“With many of us being millennials, we understand the seemingly endless struggles and silly generalizations that young millennials can face… so we created the game to provide fans with a lighthearted experience that allows millennials to take a break from real life and laugh at the relatable experiences and labels… placed on them.”

Is Hasbro making the right move here? If sales and demand (this guy is currently making a fortune flipping the game online) are any indication, they might be onto something. Maybe Parker Brothers should meet them at Starbucks and discuss how to re-invent Don’t Wake Daddy for the 30-year-olds living in mom and dad’s basement.