How the Board Game Monopoly Works
The 1935 patent for the board game Monopoly, covering the layout of spaces and the rules for moving tokens around a track to buy and trade property.
Original patent title: “Board game apparatus”
The 1935 patent for the board game Monopoly, covering the layout of spaces and the rules for moving tokens around a track to buy and trade property. Granted to Parker Brothers Inc in 1935 with 177 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent defines a board game apparatus consisting of a continuous path of spaces arranged in a square loop. Players move tokens along this path based on random number generation, typically dice rolls. The board includes specific designated spaces representing real estate properties that players can purchase, develop with structures, and collect rent from other players who land on them.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover the underlying economic theory of land value taxation.
- Does not cover digital versions of the game implemented on computers or consoles.
- Does not cover variations of the board that do not follow the specific square-loop path configuration.
- Does not cover the specific artwork, character names, or branding associated with the game.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation was the combination of a closed-loop track with a resource-management system where the board itself acts as a persistent ledger for player wealth and property ownership.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Monopoly Classic board game
Monopoly Junior
Various themed Monopoly editions
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent protected the core mechanics of what became the most commercially successful board game in history. It established the standard for property-trading games and remains a foundational example of how game mechanics can be protected as intellectual property.
Filed
August 31, 1935
Granted
December 31, 1935
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Hasbro, which acquired Parker Brothers, continues to manage and iterate on the Monopoly brand. Numerous indie game developers build on the 'roll-and-move' and property-trading mechanics established here.
Market impact
The patent allowed Parker Brothers to secure a dominant position in the toy industry for decades. It set a precedent for protecting game mechanics, influencing how board game designers approach intellectual property today.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent defines a board game apparatus consisting of a continuous path of spaces arranged in a square loop. Players move tokens along this path based on random number generation, typically dice rolls. The board includes specific designated spaces representing real estate properties that players can purchase, develop with structures, and collect rent from other players who land on them.
The clever bit
The innovation was the combination of a closed-loop track with a resource-management system where the board itself acts as a persistent ledger for player wealth and property ownership.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover the underlying economic theory of land value taxation.
- Does not cover digital versions of the game implemented on computers or consoles.
- Does not cover variations of the board that do not follow the specific square-loop path configuration.
- Does not cover the specific artwork, character names, or branding associated with the game.
Patent Journey
From filing to expiry
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
40/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$66K – $211K
Midpoint $132K · expired or expiring · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Darrow, C. B. (1935). How the Board Game Monopoly Works (U.S. Patent No. 2,026,082). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2026082/monopoly-board-game
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How the Board Game Monopoly Works cover?
The 1935 patent for the board game Monopoly, covering the layout of spaces and the rules for moving tokens around a track to buy and trade property.
Who owns patent US 2026082?
Parker Brothers Inc owns this patent, granted in 1935.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 2026082 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 177 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent protected the core mechanics of what became the most commercially successful board game in history. It established the standard for property-trading games and remains a foundational example of how game mechanics can be protected as intellectual property.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover the underlying economic theory of land value taxation.
Patent monitoring