February 04, 2026
Provided image/Top Trumps USA
Philly residents and businesses can nominate city spots for inclusion on a custom Monopoly board. The specialty set will debut in November.
Families have been moving their top hat and Scottie dog tokens past Marvin Gardens for generations. But this fall, they might cruise by Benjamin Franklin Parkway on the Monopoly board.
The classic game will debut a Philadelphia edition in November. Top Trumps USA, a gaming company that's already put out 30 community versions of Monopoly under license from Hasbro, is developing a board with specialty properties for the City of Brotherly Love. And while some of the deeds are already set, the public can nominate landmarks, businesses and nonprofits for inclusion through the end of February.
"We want this to be a game that's very much made by and for the people, and that's why we open it up the way we do," said Tim Barney, a representative for Top Trumps.
The Philly theme won't just be limited to the property squares along the board. It'll extend to the utilities, transportation and Chance cards, which Barney said will incorporate "colloquialisms" unique to the city. (This journalist is betting all her Monopoly money on "jawn.") Don't expect cheesesteak tokens, though. Barney said the game will retain its classic pieces: the top hat, Scottie dog, thimble, shoe, cat, wheelbarrow, battleship and cruiser.
This won't be the first Philadelphia spin on Monopoly. Back in 1996, the city got its own licensed game. It's long out of circulation, though eBay and other resellers occasionally list copies. The '96 version featured bygone businesses like CoreStates and Strawbridge's, alongside enduring sites like Independence Hall.
"It's about time for an update," Barney said. "There's a lot of great inspiration from that former game. Given that so much time has passed by, Philly's gone through sort of an evolution. But also Philly's made up of a lot of super historic places and things that have been around for over a century. So there will be some similarities, but also some differences."
Barney said the new game's properties aren't solely based on votes. While city spots that receive tons of nominations will be top contenders, the Monopoly makers will also consider factors like history, reputation and community engagement. Businesses that run a great voting campaign could also muscle their way onto the board.
Barney visited Philadelphia for additional research last year and will return "within the month" for a final look. Though he was tight-lipped on his destinations, he did admit to touring the Philadelphia Art Museum and Rocky steps and feasting on hoagies. LOVE Park, he added, is a "strong contender."
The game doesn't have a firm release date yet, but its developers hope to make something that will please the city's proud and famously unfiltered residents.
"Our goal is really to create something that is a love letter to Philly," Barney said. "I think the greatest compliment we can get with this game is when somebody picks up a box for the first time and they say that feels like home. So if we get that, I think we've accomplished our mission."
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