PAWTUCKET, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MONOPOLY CITY, Hasbro’s newest version of the world’s favorite family game brand, beat the competition at the coveted UK Toy Retailer of the Year Awards 2009 to pick up the GAME OF THE YEAR title. MONOPOLY CITY reinvented game play in this fast-paced game where property values fluctuate and a 3-D city is built in the centre of the game board.

As the first day of the 57^th UK Toy Fair drew to a close, members of the UK toy industry gathered in London on 26 January 2010 at the annual Toy Industry Awards, hosted by the British Toy & Hobby Association (NTHA) and the Toy Retailers Association (TRA), to recognize the exceptional new toys and games of 2009.

“We are truly honoured that MONOPOLY CITY has been named as the game of the year at the UK Toy Industry Awards,” said Jane Ritson-Parsons, Global Brand Leader for MONOPOLY. “MONOPOLY CITY provides an innovative game play experience that further demonstrates our commitment to provide new and exciting MONOPOLY entertainment experiences for players around the world, whether they play the board game, mobile, console or online games. We are thrilled that families and friends continue to love playing MONOPOLY together.”

Gary Grant, Chairman of the TRA, added: “Given the difficult trading environment that all toy suppliers have had to endure over the last twelve months, it’s all the more impressive that they’ve come out fighting and continue to create innovative, ambitious and exciting product.”

MONOPOLY City gives fans the opportunity to build an actual 3-D city in the centre of the game board complete with residential and industrial buildings. For the first time since MONOPOLY was invented in 1935, the game play changed, the need to collect an entire property group before building was removed with players building their cities from the ground up from the first roll of the dice. And just like in real life, property values – and players’ rent income – can rise and fall with the changing landscape of the city. Players can build structures that increase their property values, such as schools or eco-friendly wind farms, or they can sabotage opponents by building sewage plants or prisons on the competitions’ property.

To introduce the new game play elements of MONOPOLY CITY, Hasbro developed an online experience, MONOPOLY CITY Streets, which allowed players to buy, sell and build on streets in their hometowns. Nearly 2 million people flocked to the site on opening day. And during the short three month game, the game enjoyed over 17 million visits, 5 million unique players and nearly 1 billion page views.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Associations: The BTHA (British Toy & Hobby Association) and the TRA (Toy Retailers Association)

ABOUT MONOPOLY

Since 1935, more than 250 million copies of MONOPOLY have been sold in 106 countries and 40 languages. More than 200 different editions of the game have been published, but the most popular continues to be the classic "Number Nine." Affectionately known by its original product number, "Number Nine" is based on the streets of Atlantic City and is nearly identical to Charles Darrow's original submission to Parker Brothers. The MONOPOLY name and logo, the distinctive design of the game board, the four corner squares, the MR. MONOPOLY name and the character, as well as each of the distinctive elements of the board and playing pieces are trademarks of Hasbro for its property trading game and game equipment. © 2010 Hasbro, All Rights Reserved.

About Hasbro

Hasbro, Inc. is a worldwide leader in children’s and family leisure time products and services with a rich portfolio of brands and entertainment properties that provides some of the highest quality and most recognizable play and recreational experiences in the world. As a brand-driven, consumer-focused global company, Hasbro brings to market a range of toys, games and licensed products, from traditional to high-tech and digital, under such powerful brand names as TRANSFORMERS, PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, CRANIUM and WIZARDS OF THE COAST. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. © 2010 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hasbro, Inc.
Pat Riso, 413-526-2307
priso@hasbro.com
or
Peter Burling
00 44 797 432 3047
peter@brazenpr.com
or
Donetta Allen, 347-512-3170
dallen@hunterpr.com