WS Game co-owner Kerry Addis discusses elevating beloved board games… And MONOPOLY at 90

I’m glad I don’t have to answer this question myself! Kerry, I understand you’re the co-owner and COO at WS Game. What’s your elevator pitch?
At WS Game Company, we strive to elevate the world’s most beloved board games to the next level. Every item we develop has features that delight the serious player and design elements that function as home decor. We want our games to be part of your everyday life, so it’s easy to play a quick round of Yahtzee before running out the door in the morning, or you’re reminded that it would be more fun to play a game of MONOPOLY after work than zoning out in front of the TV.

Great answer, thank you! And I’ll be sure to put a few pictures in as we go because people have to see your products to appreciate them. Tell me about some of the MONOPOLY sets you offer…
We’ve developed so many different versions of MONOPOLY over the years, and it’s fun to look back at the most unique executions! In our general trade line, we offer a range of items to fit one’s individual style and varying price points. MONOPOLY Nostalgia Tin Edition and MONOPOLY Vintage Bookshelf Edition are the most affordable options, which are a step above your standard cardboard box game.

What might I expect to see in those sets?
They include wooded houses and hotels, banker’s trays to stay organised, customised storage for all the components and vintage graphics. These graphics might bring back memories of playing MONOPOLY as a child! In our middle tier, we offer MONOPOLY Aura Edition and MONOPOLY Bianco Edition, both of which have a more contemporary design. Aura features a glass board and the components have a light and airy feel. Bianco has a white wooden frame and a grasscloth-textured rolling area, giving it a bit of a coastal vibe.

Wow. And then there’s your top tier, presumably?
Yes. Our Trophy, Luxury and Heirloom Editions are the high-end options we offer. They all feature wood cabinets with storage drawers and recessed rolling areas, along with premium components designed to enhance gameplay. These executions are definitely not something you tuck away in a closet – most people leave them out as design elements in their homes.

Yes, you’d want to leave these out and show them off! Stunning…
Thank you! Aside from our General Trade line, we’ve also created numerous special edition MONOPOLY games over the years. For MONOPOLY’s 85th Anniversary – in 2020 – we created a stunning, bevelled-glass game board adorned with over 2000 Swarovski crystals. That sold out in hours. We also recently teamed up with Nike and LeBron James to create a custom MONOPOLY game based on his storied career.

Amazing. Let’s push in a little more on the Heirloom Edition… That sells for $460. What can the discerning MONOPOLY fan discover if they own this edition?
MONOPOLY: Heirloom Edition is truly stunning. It features a solid walnut cabinet and multiple premium wood veneers on the game path and rolling area. The drawer incorporates plenty of storage for all the components and a money tray to be used during gameplay. When it’s not in use, the cabinet can be displayed on your coffee table or in your game room. This is the type of game that you will be able to enjoy with your family for years – and then pass to the next generation.

Other than looking and feeling amazing, what advantages are there to owning a set like that?
Our premium editions of MONOPOLY are meant to last. This isn’t something you pile in the top of a coat closet. We create thoughtful storage solutions for every component, ensuring you won’t lose a house because there was no good place to put it. It’s also more fun to play with premium components, from oversized tokens in MONOPOLY: Luxury Edition to acrylic houses and hotels in MONOPOLY: Aura Edition. All of these individual design decisions add up to an enhanced experience and create a product that encourages you to play more often.

Which is your most popular MONOPOLY set, Kerry? Tell me about it!
MONOPOLY: Vintage Bookshelf Edition is by far our bestseller. Interest in the whole bookshelf collection has really taken off over the past couple of years, with customers seeing the value of combining functional games with home decor. This edition of MONOPOLY has all the premium components you would expect from our games, but it packs into a box that looks like a hardcover book.

Ah! I see! Oh, that’s lovely – so you have a whole collection of games like that… Clue, Connect Four… Is that BATTLESHIP?
Yes, BATTLESHIP is available on pre-order! Each one of these games takes up minimal space on your shelf, and blends into many different home aesthetics. The affordable price point makes it a great gift, and also allows people to add to their collection one book at a time.

When you’re looking to develop a new product, Kerry, what are your considerations? How do you begin to make your ideas a reality?
The first thing we ask ourselves is, “What problem are we trying to solve?” It doesn’t make sense to create the same type of item over and over, so we dig into what customer we’re targeting, how they’d use the product, and how much they might be willing to pay for it. We spend a lot of time brainstorming as a team, then visualising our ideas through sketches and renderings.

From there, we review all the components we want to include and try to ballpark the cost to make sure our grand ideas can actually be executed. Once we feel confident in the direction, we work with our factories to create samples. There are lots of tweaks along the way, and many projects never make it to market – but it’s incredibly rewarding when we get to see our ideas come to life.

I’ll bet! And in regard to MONOPOLY itself, what’s the secret to its 90-year appeal, do you think?
MONOPOLY’s appeal lies in its perfect mix of strategy, luck, and social interaction. It’s a game that brings people together – whether for friendly competition or epic rivalries – and every playthrough tells a different story. The mix of nostalgia, recognisable properties, and the thrill of making or breaking fortunes keeps it engaging across generations. Plus, it’s endlessly adaptable, with new editions, house rules, and themed versions keeping it fresh. After 90 years, its ability to spark laughter, debate, and the occasional dramatic flip of the board is what truly makes it timeless!

Ha! I wondered if anyone would mention the flipping over of the board! I imagine that’s another advantage of your products, Kerry – too beautiful to flip! Ha! Now… I read up on the company’s origins with great interest! How did the business come about?
The story of our company goes back decades! Dana Silva, Jonathan’s and my father, worked for Parker Brothers from 1979 to 2000, climbing his way from the shipping room to Director of Product Development. Our childhood was filled with board games and trips to the office to test new products. But in 2000, after several years of mergers and changes, Hasbro wanted us to move away from our hometown…

Instead, Dana took his severance and partnered with Mike Doyle, a longtime Milton Bradley employee, to start Winning Solutions, Inc. There was a name change later after we started selling more items under our own brand… Either way, things started out on a folding table in our living room before they began consulting for Hasbro, working on developing products to support exclusive partnerships. A few years later, they became a Hasbro licensee and brought a line of branded game tables to market, followed shortly by their first premium tabletop game, SCRABBLE Deluxe.

This is amazing! So that was your first product – and you’re still doing that today, are you not?
Yes! It’s still in our line and continues to dominate sales today! Since that initial release, our product line has grown to include over twenty Hasbro brands and hundreds of different executions of everyone’s favourite games. In addition to our General Trade line, we also partner with many specialty retailers to develop items specifically for their customers, from Costco MONOPOLY to OPERATION: Snap-On Edition. Also, while my father is still involved, Jonathan and I bought out Mike at the beginning of 2024 – we are now completely family-owned.

Fantastic. So what’s next for MONOPOLY at WS Game? Any plans for a 90th anniversary edition?
Yes! We’ll be releasing a limited edition MONOPOLY 90th Anniversary game later this year. This features a solid wood box with a foil-stamped hinged lid and a numbered certificate of authenticity. The beautiful case houses a foil-stamped gameboard, custom-designed components, and a wooden banker’s tray. There will only be 900 of these available, making it a must-have for every serious MONOPOLY collector.

Oh, that just sounds fantastic! We need to wrap this up, Kerry, but what’s the one thing I could’ve asked you about today but didn’t?
What’s your dream collaboration?

Yesssss… Very good question. And what’s the answer?
I would love to work on a premium Taylor Swift themed edition of MONOPOLY! I can picture going through the Eras as you make your way around the board with iconic tokens and sparkles galore. Taylor Swift has such an amazing following, and it’d be fun to create something to celebrate her success.

Fantastic answer. And you never know, of course… Nobody has ever told me straight that Taylor Swift doesn’t read Brands Untapped – so fingers crossed!