Monopoly GO! had the biggest casual launch of the last five years | Pocket Gamer.biz

Scopely’s Monopoly GO! launched on April 12, just two months ago, and according to data just released, it’s already racked up massive success.

Based on revenue, Monopoly GO! is now the number one mobile board game worldwide, and saw not just the biggest casual launch of 2023 so far, but the biggest casual launch of the last five years – this is particularly notable considering the fact that we’ve just weathered the so-called “Covid boom”, where mobile game makers worldwide recorded record profits as more and more people spent more time on their phones.

Monopoly GO! currently sits in the top five free mobile game charts based on downloads in more than 100 countries worldwide.

The success of Monopoly GO! is sure to be welcome news to Scopely parent company Savvy Games Group, which acquired the game maker just six days prior to the launch of Monopoly GO! for a massive $4.9 billion.

The secret behind success

Monopoly is arguably the world’s best-known and most beloved board game. The game is easy to pick up and Hasbro has released versions of the game based on hit IP such as Bojack Horseman, Rick and Morty, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. As such, people all over the world are familiar with the game and its rules, and a mobile adaptation was arguably sure to be a smash hit, but success at this level is always notable.

Monopoly GO! has succeeded in not just translating the familiar gameplay into a mobile form, but adapting it and taking note of the state of casual gaming, implementing features popular with players worldwide such as PVP elements and a progressively evolving world. As such, the game has successfully brought one of the world’s best known games into a new space, while using what makes it unique to enhance the gameplay.

“With Monopoly GO!, we can unite the worldwide community of Monopoly fans in truly unprecedented ways,” said Hasbro president of Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro Games Cynthia Williams. “We think this fresh take on the Monopoly experience will continue to bring friends and families together, whether they choose to boost each other’s fortunes or claim their own riches.”

We listed Scopely as one of the top 50 mobile game makers of 2022.