What are Monopoly's "52 Fundamental Playing Flaws"

November 3, 2009 2:02 PM

Is there a public list of the "52 fundamental playing flaws" (fun fact #3) that Parker Brothers cited when they rejected Monopoly in 1933? I can't find one.
posted by ThePants to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (4 answers total)

From "Monopoly: the world's most famous game-- and how it got that way":

George Parker felt the game had three fundamental errors (not fifty-two as legend would have it). It was too complex, took too long to play, and was based on concepts unfamiliar to most game players.

posted by Knappster at 2:13 PM on November 3, 2009

One answer: this was a number apparently chosen at random to discourage Darrow from reapproaching the company.

A potential short list: Monopoly required too much time to play, it was too complex, and it far too technical.

Other potential reasons: 1. Unspecific timeframe of gameplay, 2. complicated rules, 3. with no clear ending point
posted by filthy light thief at 2:17 PM on November 3, 2009

Yeah, I had always heard that the list of 52 flaws was wrong and that it was really only three.
posted by Effigy2000 at 2:59 PM on November 3, 2009

A dog can't be a landlord.
posted by box at 7:08 AM on November 4, 2009 [5 favorites]