Twitter Shocked as Hasbro Releases ‘Ms. Monopoly’ Tabletop Game, Where Men Earn Less

Hasbro, the Rhode Island-based toy maker, exploded social media on Tuesday after announcing a special edition of ‘Monopoly’, the almost century-old world-renowned board game.

In the special edition, players take the role of ‘Ms. Monopoly,’ who, according to Hasbro, is a niece of the famous Mr. Monopoly, the famous moustache- and top hat-wearing real estate mogul. While the Hasbro tweet describes her as a “self-made investment guru,” being a niece of a supposed billionaire never hurts.

Instead of buying property, Ms. Monopoly seeks to invest in “women’s inventions,” from “chocolate chip cookies” to WiFi.

Under the new rules, the biggest change finds players segregated by gender: if a male player passes ‘GO’, they earn the traditional $200 in game money, while female players will now get $240.

​The new version of the old game has been met with staunch criticism on social media. Both male and female netizens expressed shock at how this glaring discrimination promotes gender equality, with some feminist-leaning commenters taking it as being ‘looked down upon.’

​​“I don’t want or need any hand outs at the start. We all deserve to start at the same level,” one user wrote. “In games and in life, I want to inspire by WORKING, to earn my larger salary, which I did. Don’t settle for less.”

​Others dismissed the idea as “cheating,” suggesting that Hasbro release a “Cheater” edition of the game.

​Many users called the toy maker out for capitalizing on the “woke” progressive narrative, expressing doubt about the company’s sincerity.

​Some users pointed out that the original prototype for ‘Monopoly’ - called ‘Landlord’s game’ - was invented by a woman named Elizabeth Magie in 1904. While Magie described herself as an outspoken feminist, her game never sought to prioritize players based on a physical attribute.

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In promoting the new edition of the game, Hasbro sent gift copies to young female inventors and entrepreneurs, stuffed with a gift of $20,580 of real - not game - money “to fuel their inventive spirit and further their projects.”

​​The last time Hasbro attempted to release a merchandise line specifically targeted at girls, however, it backfired spectacularly, as a renewed ‘My Little Pony’ franchise found an enormous global following among young men, stunning company management while significantly contributing to the toy line’s commercial success. Judging by initial reactions to ‘Ms. Monopoly’, this project’s future remains uncertain.