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CNN Live At Daybreak

Monopoly Board Game Adds Bulls and Bears

Aired August 14, 2001 - 08:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: Who wants Boardwalk when shares of high-flying companies are in play. We're talking Stock Exchange Monopoly, a kind of an oil-and-water type blend of capitalism in Monopoly. It is like the old board game but with bulls, bears and computer.

Details now from and CNN's Richard Quest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Make money and bankrupt family and friends, the creed of Monopoly that's made it the biggest selling board game in the world. But forget miserable properties, now wheel and deal in millions, with shares of the world's biggest companies instead: airlines, cars, even beleaguered technology and telcos, all are for sale to those who land first. And the new game has a twist: a computer; it tracks the shares and raises and lowers the price as you move around the board.

IAN GIBBS, TOY STORE BUYER: About once every 10 years a financial board game come onto to the market. However, in the past they've always been very complicated to play and they've never been particularly successful. But I think on this occasion they've got it right and I think it's going to be very popular indeed.

QUEST: Outside the Bank of England and stock exchange, time to put the game to the test.

And it's already gone up!

The game is Monopoly through and through, naked capitalism, the most expensive colors, the most expensive companies.

(on camera): One, two, three, four, five, six. Now, the cards involved in this version of Monopoly are different from the traditional game. There's no Community Chest and Chance. Instead you've got Bulls and Bears, and I've just landed on Bears.

(on camera): Advance to DaimlerChrysler. If you pass go collect 200 million and any dividends owing.

(voice-over): It's pure chance which company was placed where. No one paid to get a better spot on the board. And the game moves fast. NICOLA GREGSON, MONOPOLY: We have changed the rules slightly. Monopoly always stays true to its form. And there's certain squares that will never change on the Monopoly board, but it tries to stay contemporary, so it will always reflect the feeling of the game. The essence of the game is exactly the same, so you're trying to make as much money as possible and beat your opponents.

QUEST (voice-over): For those who watch Stock Exchange Monopoly, everybody has an opinion on what they would buy.

(on camera): So, I now own British Gas and KLM.

(voice-over): Stock Exchange Monopoly still brings out the very worst in players.

(on camera): I'm winning.

(voice-over): So, what else can explain the sheer joy to say: "Your bankrupt, pay up," or "I've won"?

Richard Quest, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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