A NEW GAME IN TOWN

March 10, 2007 (GBN News): Capitalizing on the national visibility of New York City’s educational reforms, Parker Brothers, makers of Monopoly, announced today that they will be producing a new game based on the city’s education system. Entitled “Children First: A Game of Irony”, the game is slated to come out in time for the 2007-2008 school year. According to a company spokesperson, this will be a board game, the object of which will be to amass the highest number of points, which in the game are referred to as “test scores”.

The rules of the new game will have a number of unique features. One player will be designated the “Chancellor”. Similar to the banker in Monopoly, this player will control and disburse money, often in the form of no-bid contracts. In one of the more unusual aspects of the game, the “Chancellor” will also have the right to change the rules of the game at any time while the game is in progress. The only condition is that he or she cannot inform any of the other players of the rule change until after the changes are implemented. Any part of the game is subject to change, including the board and the positioning of the pieces. Anyone who dares to question any of the rules changes made by the "Chancellor" is called “a defender of the status quo” and is immediately ejected from the game. Another player will be designated the “Mayor”. The “Mayor” does not actually participate in the game, but has veto power over the “Chancellor’s” decisions and also has the right to declare himself the winner.

The game is expected to retail for $34.95. A computer version will also be available, at the cost of $80,000,000.

UPDATE: See latest GBN bulletin.