“It’s about blending nostalgia with fresh, fast-paced gameplay”: Hasbro’s Eugene Evans on the incredible success of MONOPOLY GO!

Eugene, it’s great to connect. To kick us off, can you talk us through your role at Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast?
Absolutely, happy to chat! I’ve been part of the team at Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast for almost seven years. In my current role, I oversee a variety of digital and interactive licensed experiences across our portfolio of brands. My job is to help bring our iconic intellectual properties – like MONOPOLY, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and MY LITTLE PONY – into digital games by licensing our properties to best-in-class video game partners around the world. It’s about blending our heritage with the future of digital gaming, creating experiences that resonate with both longtime fans and new players alike.

MONOPOLY turns 90 this year and MONOPOLY GO! has been a huge success story. For anyone new to the game, how would you describe it and its connections to the core board game?
MONOPOLY GO! is a super fun mobile version of the classic game we all know and love. It keeps the core essence of the classic game – buying properties, collecting rent and trying to build your empire – but with a faster pace, fun rewards and daily surprises. It’s more bite-sized, so you can play on the go, but still feels like MONOPOLY through and through.

You get all that strategic fun and competitive spirit of the board game, but in a more modern, accessible format for your phone. We partnered with one of the most successful mobile developers and publishers in the world in Scopely. Their expertise and experience delivering great mobile games combined with MONOPOLY resulted in a real breakout success. It reached $3B in revenue faster than any mobile game to date.

Incredible. Why do you feel the game has resonated so strongly with fans?
Mobile games reach a huge mass market around the world. Almost everyone in the world now has a mobile phone. Not all of those people think of themselves as gamers and can find even the most casual game intimidating. By grounding MONOPOLY GO! in MONOPOLY, Scopely created a game which is immediately familiar and resonates fans.

“Mobile gaming is all about convenience and engagement, and we’ve really leaned into that with MONOPOLY GO!”

We’ve seen that many players of MONOPOLY GO! had never played a mobile game before. It’s all about blending nostalgia with fresh, fast-paced gameplay. MONOPOLY GO! really taps into what people love about the original game – the thrill of buying properties and the excitement of competing against friends. But it’s been given a modern twist that appeals to today’s mobile-first players.

The app’s short, daily challenges – plus the ability to collect rewards and compete with friends – make it feel fresh, social and highly engaging. Plus, there’s just something about MONOPOLY that never gets old, no matter how many times you play! This is why so many of our partners are interested in our IP. Our games resonate immediately with gamers. They know what to do and the games tap into all the emotions that the original games inspired.

Are there any broader lessons to be learned from that success about how to bring iconic tabletop IP into mobile games?
One big takeaway is the importance of staying true to the brand while also updating the experience to fit a new format. With MONOPOLY GO!, Scopely didn’t just try to replicate the original board game on a phone; we worked closely with them to adapt it.

Another key driver is the power of social play. People love connecting with others, so integrating social features – like competing with friends or sharing progress – was a big factor in its success. Mobile gaming is all about convenience and engagement, and we’ve really leaned into that with MONOPOLY GO!

Finally, we really leaned into engagement. Mobile games are all about keeping players coming back, so features like daily challenges, rewards and social competition really help keep the excitement going.

Terrific insights. Now, digging into the collaboration between yourselves and Scopely – what helped make this partnership work so well?
It’s been a true collaboration, and Scopely have been fantastic partners. This was not our first game with them – they had successes with YAHTZEE and SCRABBLE which continue to do very well. One of the things that has made it so successful is our shared vision for what MONOPOLY GO! could be. Scopely has deep expertise in mobile gaming, and they’ve been able to bring that knowledge to the table to create an app that’s fun, engaging and built for long-term play.

“We’ve seen that many players of MONOPOLY GO! had never played a mobile game before.”

They also really understand the importance of community and user engagement, so we’ve worked closely together to create a game that’s constantly evolving with new features and events. It’s been a true partnership in every sense, and I think that’s what’s really helped MONOPOLY GO! stand out.

MONOPOLY GO! has also spawned a board game itself – a move that wouldn’t have happened if GO! was a more direct adaptation of the board game. Does this speak to the value of being creative when it comes to taking board game IP into the app game space?
Absolutely. It’s a perfect example of how creative thinking can lead to exciting new directions. Instead of simply trying to replicate the board game on a mobile screen, we thought about how to make the MONOPOLY experience fit the app world in a way that still felt true to the brand but also opened up new opportunities.

The board game spin-off of MONOPOLY GO! shows how thinking outside the box – or the game board, in this case! – can create something that’s both unique and appealing in its own right. Sometimes the most exciting innovations come from reimagining a classic idea rather than just porting it over directly.

What other digital activations are you excited to be launching this year for Hasbro IP?
We’ve got some really exciting things in the works! Scopely continues to expand the MONOPOLY GO! universe with new features and events that will keep fans engaged, but there’s also some great games happening in the DUNEGONS & DRAGONS space and other beloved Hasbro properties.

We’re looking at new ways to merge digital and physical experiences, creating immersive worlds that blend gaming with real-life adventures. Stay tuned, as there’s definitely more to come – this year is going to be full of surprises!

Finally, what’s your go-to token when playing MONOPOLY?
I’ve always been partial to the ship! It’s classic, a bit adventurous and it always feels like you’re sailing towards victory. It’s also a nod to the travel aspect of the game, which I’ve always enjoyed. What better way to cruise around the board and collect properties?

Absolutely! Thanks again Eugene.