One of the best parts of classic board games like Monopoly and Life was the stacks of play money that came with the games. Setting up each player with the proper combination of bills at startup and deciding who got to be the banker was part of the fun. And let’s not forget the effect a series of neatly stacked bills along the edge of the board could have on losing players. However, after the game was over and our wealth reverted back to pieces of colored paper again, we simply tossed them back into the box. Inevitably some found their way under the couch, behind bookcases, and just about any place except the game boxes. These bills would be found later during spring cleaning, rearranging furniture, or any other activity that involves moving things after long periods of time.
So, it’s not without a bit of sadness that I read this post about a version of Monopoly that will use VISA (TM and all that) debit cards and an electronic reader to keep track of each players funds. The article refers to a UK version, but I think it’s safe to say we’ll probably see a US version as well.
Of course the pessimist in me sees this as yet another toy that exposes kids to corporate branding in an attempt to hook them at an early age. But maybe I’m reading too much into this. How could fake VISA debit cards be bad for kids? After all, it’s not like our society has problems managing debt or anything. 