Google's Real Monopoly Revealed

Classic board game gets online update

You hear the words Google and monopoly and you might think they belong together for not-so-friendly business reasons.

Now the Mountain View, Calif.-based search engine giant is outed as having a monopoly -- of the board game type.

Set to debut today, Monopoly City Streets is the online version of Hasbro's 1935 classic board game. The game uses Google Maps and Street View to give players a way to dominate real-world real estate, including their very own neighborhoods, cities or towns.

Each street in the world is available for purchase by only one player, increasing the opportunity for trading and interaction among players. Players can instantly set up houses, hotels, skyscrapers and other buildings quickly after buying streets to increase property values.

The launch of the online game is in line with the introduction of Monopoly City, an updated version of the traditional favorite in which players can build 3-D cities in the center of the board game.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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