Monopoly is embracing the modern era!
The classic board game has been around since 1935. In the decades since Parker Brothers first released the game, different versions have been created catering to specific interests. Hasbro (which acquired Parker Brothers and therefore Monopoly in 1991) has released a variety of them, including a Game of Thrones edition, a Stranger Things version, and even one catering “Cheaters.”
But the latest version of Monopoly just might be the most advanced one yet!
The new edition is called Monopoly Voice Banking. Instead of requiring one player to be designated the banker (who controls all of the money in the game and handles cash exchange for property purchases), the new Monopoly doesn’t have a human banker at all. Instead, there’s an intelligent, voice-controlled electronic top hat smack dab in the middle of the board. The voice-assisted hat handles all of the financial transactions — without any paper money.
Yep, that’s right — new Monopoly is fully-cashless!
The top hat is voiced by Rich Uncle Pennybags himself, according to Gizmodo. While the AI isn’t sophisticated enough to distinguish between voices — players have to use one of four buttons to identify and differentiate themselves — you can make requests like “Buy Park Place” or “Build a Hotel,” and the electronic banker will deduct the necessary funds from your account.
“Welcome future millionaires!” Rich Uncle Pennybags tells players at the game’s start. “Press your token’s button to join the game and I’ll put $1,500 Monopoly dollars in your account.”
The game is set to be released on June 26, 2019 on Amazon, and it’s available for pre-order now. It costs $29.99, which is slightly pricier than the classic version of the game, but likely worth it for those who hate dealing with the hassle of parsing out cash. In theory, it’ll also help the game go faster.
While the new electronic game may take some getting used to, there’s at least one benefit — less opportunity for cheaters to scam the Monopoly bank!
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