Winning Moves UK and leading toy and game company Hasbro, has announced that Suffolk’s County town has secured a new official edition of the world’s most popular board game, MONOPOLY.
This year marks Monopoly’s 90th anniversary and to celebrate, cities and towns have been competing for their own custom editions, continuing a tradition that has seen many locations receive their own unique Monopoly board games across the world over the year with Ipswich winning a ten-way UK competition to ‘Pass GO’ and have a new edition produced this year.
Ipswich secured its place in the UK-wide “beauty contest,” outperforming nine other locations based on two key factors: “Sense of Family” and “Civic Pride.”
“Ipswich ticks every box,” said Ben Ladd Gibbon, from Winning Moves UK, who unveiled the new Monopoly: Ipswich Edition happening with Mr. Monopoly, the Mayor of Ipswich, Rev. Tom Mumford and representatives from Ipswich Central.
The public are now invited to submit suggestions for Ipswich landmarks and organisations to feature in the game, with popular choices expected to include Ipswich Waterfront, Portman Road, home of Ipswich Town FC, The Cornhill and the Ancient House.
“We are sure we are going to be wonderfully spoilt with choices when putting this Monopoly game together,” added Mr Ladd Gibbon, Custom Games Partnerships Manager at Winning Moves UK. “The board will encompass Ipswich’s rich past – from medieval and Tudor times to today and its stunning Waterfront which is a tourist magnet for the town.”
Ipswich Mayor Councillor Elango K. Elavalakan said: "This is a fantastic moment for Ipswich, and we are absolutely thrilled to be part of another edition of this most famous board game. This recognition highlights the incredible sense of community, heritage, and civic pride that defines our town.
“We look forward to seeing Ipswich’s landmarks and beloved locations celebrated on the Monopoly board and we hope as many people as possible will get involved by submitting their suggestions. Ipswich boasts so many important landmarks including Ipswich Town Hall, the historic Christchurch Mansion, our unique Ipswich Museum, Fore Street Pool and the Ipswich Regent Theatre, so we can’t wait to see what the community chooses to include in this iconic game which will be enjoyed for years to come.”
Winning Moves UK is producing the brand-new Monopoly: Ipswich Edition board game, under license from Hasbro. Winning Moves UK makes Monopoly editions for places all over the world, and made an original Monopoly: Ipswich Edition, back in 2006.
Melanie Willis, Communications Manager at Ipswich Central added: “A new edition of Ipswich Monopoly being produced is great for the town. It’s a great opportunity to highlight what’s great about the town and celebrate the now.
“ The fact that game producers are asking for nominations for the local streets and landmarks to appear really gets people involved in the creation of this new game for the town.”
“Suggestions can be made by email to ipswich@winningmoves.co.uk, until 12 March 2025 and the new version of the game will hit the shops later this year as a great Christmas gift idea. I look forward to seeing which Ipswich buildings, streets and places of interest make it onto the board.”
The board will be themed around heritage, tourism, entertainment, leisure, business, and travel – all reflecting Ipswich. Examples include:
- COMMUNITY’S BEST: In the new 2025 edition, unlike in the last version, all the game’s three Community Chest squares will be handed over to three different local charities.
- IN THE PINK AGAIN – FEELING BLUE? Ipswich Town FC appeared on a pink square in the moderately priced section of the board in the last edition. But since then, the club has risen to the Premier League. “The pink spaces are in the moderate section of the board,” comments Mr Ladd Gibbon. Maybe this time the ‘Blue Army’ will feature on the BLUE of Mayfair, the board’s highest-ranking square’.
- GO BACK 3 SPACES: Players might find themselves sent back for travelling the wrong way around the strict one-way system in Ipswich town centre or driving into one of the town’s dreaded prohibited bus lanes. Like most UK towns, navigating the Ipswich road-network can be as tricky as winning at MONOPOLY!
The public is invited to suggest Ipswich landmarks to be featured on the famous MONOPOLY spaces, as well as for three charities to be showcased on Community Chest squares. Suggestions can be made by email to: ipswich@winningmoves.co.uk. Nominations will be accepted for consideration from 10am on 27th February 2025 until 23.59pm on 12th March 2025. The new version of the game will hit the shops in November, in time for this Christmas 2025.
“This new version is a new game for a new generation,” adds Mr Ladd Gibbon. "We chose Ipswich mainly for two reasons - because of its very strong heritage and family-orientated town. Producing a new game is a great opportunity to show off iconic places in Ipswich Town.
All suggestions sent through via email will be considered, with the number of votes, family favourite locations and iconic places all important factors when choosing the final places on the board!”
This year marks 90 years of Monopoly in the market, and Hasbro is celebrating its iconic legacy all year long. As the world’s favourite family game brand, with over one billion players in 114 countries, Monopoly is more than just a game – it’s a global phenomenon. Known for its timeless fun, strategy, and friendly competition, Monopoly invites consumers across generations to step into a world where opulence and villainy collide, and all is fair in the race for riches. With a growing list of 300+ culturally relevant editions and new ways to play – from in-person experiences to digital platforms, casino games and more – there’s truly a Monopoly for everyone.
Image credit: Ipswich Borough Council
