Scopely’s Monopoly GO! was launched on April 12 and has seen remarkable success. The game quickly climbed to the top of the charts and emerged as the top casual launch of 2023. Continuing its upward trajectory, the game recently announced its achievement of a $2 billion revenue milestone just 10 months after its initial launch.
Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that the game reached its first billion in just six months, showcasing its rapid growth and popularity.
While the game’s daring user acquisition strategy has garnered attention, it’s undeniable that the game’s success is rooted in a formula that not only capitalizes on its well-known name but also delivers a fresh experience. Monopoly GO! offers a unique blend of the beloved Monopoly gameplay reimagined for solo and social experiences on the mobile platform.
In a guest article, game designer Irene Kurskaya delves into the intricacies of Monopoly GO! and dissects what sets this innovative twist on a classic board game apart.
Monopoly is traditionally known as a family game, notorious for its ability to create rifts within families. The traditional game can stretch on for hours, making it challenging to envision how its engaging yet lengthy gameplay could be translated into a mobile game.
However, various attempts have been made across different genres to adapt the game, from digital board game renditions to hybrids of various game mechanics:
What Sets Monopoly GO! Apart? Let’s Dive into the Analysis.
Analysis
Monopoly GO! stands out as the only Monopoly game to achieve top app rankings, trailing only behind Netflix in terms of installations. While it’s a relatively new app with room to grow its user base, the initial numbers are undeniably impressive.
Downloads have stabilized since the peak during the global launch, showing sustained interest and engagement from players.
The number of active users has also stabilized, with the game effectively balancing user activity throughout the week, minimizing weekday-weekend disparities.
Furthermore, daily revenue has shown consistent growth, notably doubling for iOS starting from the 4th of July, potentially attributed to successful Independence Day-related events in the USA.
Demographics
Examining Monopoly GO!’s demographics reveals intriguing insights. In May 2023, more men than women played the Android version of the game (no iOS data available), with the dominant age group being 45+.
Comparatively, the demographics of the game’s competitors differ. For instance, Board Kings primarily attracts a female audience but with fewer younger players.
A similar trend is observed with Coin Master.
Overall, Monopoly GO!’s audience skews younger and more male compared to its competitors.
Inspired Innovations
Enthusiasts of chance-based clicker games will notice that Monopoly GO! draws inspiration from Board Kings and Coin Master. The game incorporates elements such as dice rolls with multipliers and construction-based meta-gameplay akin to Coin Master, blending these mechanics into a cohesive and enhanced experience. In many instances, these mechanics are more refined and effective in Monopoly GO! than in their original sources.
While we’ll explore some standout features shortly, let’s first revisit the essence of Monopoly as a whole.
Reimagining a Classic
Monopoly is inherently a competitive board game that necessitates multiple players and culminates in a single victor. In contrast, Monopoly GO! is designed as a single-player experience. To capture the essence of classic Monopoly, including bankrupting opponents and establishing real estate monopolies, the game adopts an approach where every player can emerge as a winner.
Core Mechanics and Meta-Gameplay
Monopoly GO! operates as a clicker game where players roll dice, traverse the game board, and construct buildings.
The core mechanic revolves around moving the player’s piece across the board by rolling dice, with the game automating most actions based on chance. While player influence is limited to purchasing dice rolls, the game emphasizes social mechanics, blending competitive and cooperative elements. For example, accessing the “Community Chest” requires a minimum number of in-game friends.
The game adopts a classic Monopoly board aesthetic embellished with themed decor, enhancing the player’s immersion. Each board, like Venice or Paris, features distinct visual elements akin to Board Kings.
Players earn in-game currency on the board to progress in the meta-game, enabling them to build structures, acquire houses, and increase rent prices.
Unique to Monopoly GO!, players retain houses earned through building construction across boards until fulfilling specific conditions. This contrasts with Coin Master, where town progress lacks tangible benefits. This distinction enhances the player’s sense of accomplishment and continuity within the game.
Initial Sessions and Highlights (Spoiler: Everything)
During the introductory gameplay sessions, Monopoly GO! strives to provide a dopamine-inducing experience by offering swift progression, abundant rewards, and engaging social mechanics from the outset. The gameplay ensures players remain captivated, especially through clever solutions for players lacking in-game friends.
The session concludes with players feeling accomplished yet eager for more, setting the stage for future engagement and interactions with friends’ boards.
Noteworthy Features: Social Interactions
The developers leverage their expertise in clans, co-op gameplay, and social mechanics from browser-based games to enhance the social fabric of Monopoly GO! The game actively encourages players to add active strangers as friends within the game interface, fostering a vibrant social ecosystem. This approach deepens player engagement, fills timelines with events, and imbues leaderboards with significance by promoting networking and interaction.
Raiding Mechanics
When landing on the Train Station space, players embark on a train journey to visit other players, introducing raiding elements to the gameplay. Unlike competitor games, Monopoly GO! enriches raid mechanics with interactive features, offering players a choice-driven experience with varied outcomes based on player decisions. This heightened engagement and strategic depth differentiate the raiding mechanic in Monopoly GO! from similar gameplay elements in other titles.
Community Chest
The Community Chest feature incorporates a rewarding social twist that necessitates a minimum number of friends for activation. This collaborative gameplay mechanic involves revealing tiles, boosting reward multipliers, and granting benevolent rewards to both active and absent friends. The dynamic nature of the feature fosters engagement, encourages social interaction, and incentivizes regular gameplay for all participants.
Network Progression and Leveling
Monopoly GO! introduces a visually appealing player level system that not only offers tangible rewards but also empowers players with a transparent view of their progression. Unlike traditional progression systems, the game’s visual representation of rewards at each level resembles a skill tree or collectible card set, enhancing player comprehension and engagement. By integrating leveling with gameplay enhancements, Monopoly GO! maintains interest for existing players while guiding newcomers on their journey.
Monetization Strategies
Monopoly GO! adopts a measured approach to monetization, offering new player discounts, multi-slot offers, and trigger offers at strategic points during gameplay. This balanced monetization strategy complements the player experience without disrupting gameplay flow. While the game’s in-game Bank serves primarily decorative purposes, it effectively highlights special offers to entice players. Limited-time offers further incentivize player engagement and spending, leveraging seasonal events to drive purchases.
In Conclusion
The developers of Monopoly GO! have successfully blended the essence of classic Monopoly with innovative mobile gameplay mechanics to create a compelling clicker experience. By integrating social elements, refining borrowed mechanics, and enhancing player retention, the game provides something unique for every player archetype. Monopoly GO! transcends checkbox features, offering meaningful experiences that resonate with players and drive long-term engagement. With a strong focus on retention, the game positions itself for sustained monetization opportunities.
Building on their expertise in social gaming (seen in titles like Yahtzee® with Buddies Dice), the creators of Monopoly GO! have elevated the clicker genre by enriching social interactions beyond conventional reward-based systems. The game’s emphasis on collaborative play and regular rewards underscores the importance of shared experiences, driving its meteoric rise in popularity since launch. As players continue to flock to enjoy the game solo or with friends, Monopoly GO! solidifies its position as a lasting and beloved IP, underscoring the timeless appeal of the Monopoly franchise.
Edited by Paige Cook
