Are there any games out there that are more iconic than Monopoly? It’s hard to think of a title that can beat the 87-year-old board game in terms of notoriety. Indeed, over one billion people worldwide have played the Hasbro offering in one format or another, and innovative developers are still attracting new players.
Monopoly continues to go strong because it has maintained its presence in the video game industry. This has occurred because of all the unique and intriguing ways of playing it across a wide variety of platforms.
How did Monopoly Transform Into a Digital Experience?
There were many stages in the evolution of Monopoly that helped it transform into a digital experience. One of the most significant moves was when the board game went electronic. In 2005, Monopoly Here and Now introduced a new concept within the game. The famous Monopoly money was replaced with a debit card, and this highlighted how the game could move with the times and stay relevant in modern society.
Another momentous change for Monopoly was when it was transformed into a desktop game. The first-ever Monopoly video game was released in 1995, and it’s amazing to think now that there was once just one solitary computer version. The offering from Westwood Studios gave players a computerized CD-ROM version of the classic board game and it followed the same rules. This offering from Hasbro Electronic Entertainment paved the way for the online editions of the game that were to follow in the 2000s.
It was the emergence of the smartphone gaming industry that led online versions of Monopoly to boom. There are over 300 varieties of the iconic board game now, and many of these exist online. Some of the top-rated online versions include the Monopoly app, Monopoly Plus, and Monopoly Stadia.
Many Aspects that Make Monopoly Unique
The digital versions of the game, especially in recent years, have been able to separate themselves from their offline counterparts through numerous unique features. The official versions for console and PC are now in 3D and give players a choice of playing a city board, a haunted house, or an amusement park.
Part of the business model for Hasbro has been in catering to a vast number of different markets by creating unique games. The first-ever board game was set in Atlantic City, but variants quickly spread to feature many other places in the USA and around the world, especially in locations where the game was popular.
Sometimes the developers scrapped the city model and made interesting distinctive strains. Monopoly West Virginia, for instance, had locations from around the state. This has become a theme online as well, with certain variants of the game now worlds apart from the original. The Monopoly online slot is a prime example of a game that has adapted to growing trends in technology. This game is flourishing in the same areas as the board game, but obviously attracting a slightly different demographic. It’s seen at some of the best WV online casinos, including BetMGM, which is recommended for its range of payment methods and attractive welcome bonus. It is a testament to the game that it can successfully transition through different media to relative success.
Some other special editions of the famous title have been based on significant events in popular culture, like Game of Thrones and Star Wars. All these variants and strains for different platforms and markets have enabled the game to endear itself to the highest amount of people possible.
Other franchises could learn a lot from Monopoly, which has remained at the forefront of mainstream entertainment for most of its existence. Developing region and interest-specific offerings was a wise move, as was adapting to new technology like the internet.
