The 75th anniversary edition of Monopoly is changing things up in a major way.  Gone is the paper money and square board, only to be replaced by debit cards and a circular boards.  I don’t know why I have been waiting for hoverboards to signal that the future is here.  Paperless Monopoly is carrying that flag with pride.

This seems like an ok idea, I’d still rather play my Star Wars edition, but whatever.

People don’t generally like it when you mess with something that has gotten VERY familiar and VERY popular over the years.  No one seems to learn from the “New Coke’s” of the world.

Anyone that works in corporate America understands how this happens.  There are manager/suit types walking the fine line of maintaining a successful brand with the need to grow and evolve a product (or possibly be left behind by the competition). Even in the cutthroat world of board games.

It does beg the question, in a world where you can play a first person shooter with some kid in China over the internet, does taking the paper money away from Monopoly really count as making the game more “modern”?  Or do people turn to Monopoly when they are looking to do something that is nice, familiar and gets them away from the trappings and speed of modern society and entertainment.

Who cares, it’s a board game, it’s not important.  Do what you want