Target and Hasbro are partnering to launch a Bullseye-branded board game later this summer in hopes that consumers’ newfound penchant for at-home activities keeps up even though pandemic restrictions no longer keep people indoors.
Monopoly had its best year ever in 2020, helping to drive a share of Hasbro’s $1.8 billion in revenue, and by partnering with the board game giant, Target likely hopes to catch some of that momentum.
For Target’s part, the retailer said it sold enough Operation games in 2020 that every real surgeon in the U.S. could have received one (“for fun, not practice, of course”) as well as over 5.5 million puzzles. In partnering with Hasbro, Target is betting that tabletop activities are one of the pandemic habits that will stick.
“Monopoly: Target Edition is the latest example of how we are always exploring new ways to spark moments of joy with all of our guests within our curated assortment of fan-favorite and Target-exclusive games and toys,” said Nik Nayar, Target’s senior vice president of hardlines, in a blog post announcing the partnership.
Preorders for Monopoly: Target Edition opened on Friday (June 25) and the game is set to launch online and in stores Aug. 1.
Rolling On Retail
Branded Monopoly sets are nothing new for Hasbro, which sells its property trading board game with myriad themes. The company also partners with USAopoly to produce hundreds of other versions of Monopoly, including ones for various towns and cities across the U.S.
Monopoly: Target Edition, however, is a direct partnership between Hasbro and Target. What’s different about the Target version is its emphasis on a particular retailer, rather than a movie or television franchise, and, because of that, its focus on the shopping experience.
Properties such as Park Place and Boardwalk have been replaced with purchases of tablets and televisions, and passing GO, which typically rewards players with $200, will allow player-customers to purchase items from their Target basket and earn savings tokens. Players will be able to double or triple their savings with these tokens, Target said, “just like how guests save big with our Target Circle loyalty program in the real world.”
Though Target claims to be the first retailer to have a branded Monopoly game, USAopoly did publish one for Sephora in 2006. Now discontinued, the French beauty retailer’s edition of Monopoly can be found on Amazon for the cool price of $149.95.
Board Game Bonanza
The partnership comes as retailers across the country are trying to find new ways to entice consumers into their stores aa people begin socializing with friends through various activities — including playing board games — after the pandemic kept them apart for months on end.
And board games, despite existing in an increasingly online world, have seen something of a revival in recent years. In 2019, investment banking firm MHT Partners predicted that by 2025, the global board games market could reach $16.3 billion, driven by young adults who want personal connections that digital experiences can’t deliver.
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