Hasbro drastically missed the mark with "Monopoly for Millenials"

Source: Walmart

Hasbro, presumably, thought they were being very clever with their new game. After all, Millenials are one of the largest, most vocal, and highly scrutinized people in the world today, and Monopoly is one of the most popular and infuriating games ever. I am guessing they thought this was a match made in heaven...

But they clearly missed the mark with this game.

On the surface, Monopoly for Millenials is probably one of the most insulting and ridiculous games to ever be created. Let's start with breaking down the actual premise. Rather than collect property, players collect "experiences" from "Going to a Vegan Bistro" to "Crashing on a Friend's Couch" as apparently this is what all Millenials strive to do; in fact, the cover of the game even says "Forget Real Estate. You can't afford it anyway". Apparently, Millenials either don't make enough or property value is too high to own anything so money should just be spent on ridiculous, stereotypical experiences.

As for other aspects of the game, it essentially plays out as a slap in the face to anyone younger than Boomers. The game pieces include "Hashtag" and "Crying Emoji" while the back of the box states "Adulting is Hard". The board itself is a hair smaller, and there are no bills over $100. The website description includes lines such as "community chests (that are super relatable)" as if that is how everyone talks these days.

While the game was surely meant to be light-hearted and fun, it has rubbed many the wrong way as it makes the worst out of stereotypes that are categorically untrue. Sure, it is simply a game, but it also runs in the face of everything Millenials are indeed trying to overcome including generalizations in regards to property ownership, priorities, financial security, and career aspirations. Additionally, it stereotypes what most Millenials seem to care about which apparently includes not eating meat and adult sleepovers. Maybe it is a slight overreaction by many, but at the same time, it continues to hammer in an image of Millenials that they have continually tried to rid themselves of including, according to the cover, a need for participation trophies. However, according to Hasbro, this was not meant to be insulting because they "are Millenials themselves...and they can't even!"?

* You can read their whole (mainly ridiculous) defense below:

We created Monopoly for Millennials to provide fans with a lighthearted game that allows Millennials to take a break from real life and laugh at the relatable experiences and labels that can sometimes be placed on them. With many of us being Millennials ourselves, we understand the seemingly endless struggles and silly generalizations that young Millennials can face (and we can’t even!). Whether you are a lifestyle vlogger, emoji lover or you make your ‘side hustle’ selling vegan candles, Monopoly for Millennials is for you!