Aberdeen strikes MONOPOLY Gold

21 March 2019

Aberdeen has seen off a string of Scottish cities to land a brand-new official version of the world’s most famous and popular board game, it was announced today (Thursday 21 March).

The Granite City has won the honour of landing a new unique version of MONOPOLY, a generation on from the very first Aberdeen MONOPOLY edition.

And unlike the first time Aberdeen ‘Passed GO’, this time round the tokens are being themed in a fun way around the city – to be voted by the Aberdeen public. It means an OIL RIG, a FISHBOX and a SEAGULL could be whizzing their way round the brand-new board.

Aberdeen beat Glasgow, Dundee, Inverness and 16 other Scottish places to land the honour.

The new game will see the famous MONOPOLY Scottie dog, racing car and boot tokens literally being given the boot for this version with associated Aberdeen ‘icons’, which could include any of the following:

bust of the city’s most famous daughters and sons, natural or adopted. For example, Aberdeen pop superstar Annie Lennox and Sir Alex Ferguson, who guided the city’s football club to unparalleled success.

an oil rig or drill, in recognition of Aberdeen’s thriving oil industry.

something depicting ‘granite’ and the heart of Aberdeen.

fish – a haddock, for example, to celebrate the city’s fishing industry. Or a fishbox.

mortarboard / academic hat – or book, as a nod to Aberdeen having one of the world’s oldest Universities.

The Lord Provost of Aberdeen Barney Crockett says: “This is fantastic news that Aberdeen has been selected for a new official version of MONOPOLY, which must be the most instantly recognisable board game in the world.

“Most people, young and older have enjoyed playing MONOPOLY - and I hope that Aberdonians everywhere will take the opportunity to select Aberdeen-themed tokens for the latest version of this game. Being a ‘Fittie’ loon myself my favourite is the fishbox.”

The makers of this new game, Winning Moves UK, say the board will hit shop shelves this October in time for Christmas (2019). There was a MONOPOLY: Aberdeen Edition, launched in 2006, which was very popular for years before being discontinued.

Jennifer Lau, Custom Games Executive at Winning Moves UK, who will be producing this board under official license from MONOPOLY owners Hasbro, said: “We studied 20 cities and towns across the whole of Scotland and shortlisted it to three: Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen.

“Because this version – unlike the first one for Aberdeen, a generation ago – will see the tokens all customised and as (to be) voted by the public, we wanted to make sure the Scottish city the new MONOPOLY game is being based on has lots of great and distinct Aberdeen links to choose from like an oil rig, a haddock and something depicting granite.

“We are sure we will be absolutely spoilt for choice with this great new official MONOPOLY version.”

Ms Lau added: “It will be a fun new version with all the tokens themed around Aberdeen as voted by the public. Everything is up for grabs. So technically a bust of a famous son or daughter from the city – adopted or natural – could be whizzing around the board. Everything is up for grabs.”

Following the announcement, the public are being invited to vote for Aberdeen themed playing tokens, landmarks and Community Chest and Chance cards to star in the game.

There are three ways in which the public can vote. These are:

by email to aberdeen@6starpr.co.uk

via the official Aberdeen MONOPOLY Facebook page

by post, to: Aberdeen MONOPOLY, Winning Moves UK, 7 Praed Street, London W2 1NJ Polling starts at 10am on Thursday 21 March 2019 and closes exactly one month later at 23.59pm on Saturday 20 April 2019.

As well as all tokens being Aberdeen themed, the traditional MONOPOLY multi-coloured streets will be handed over to leading Aberdeen landmarks. Marischal College, Castlegate, Union Terrace, the Granite Mile, Aberdeen Town Hall, the University of Aberdeen and Aberdeen International Airport are likely to lead the way as possible landmarks to ‘Pass GO’. The cards will be Aberdeen themed too.

The new board will be available from all major retailers from October 2019.