New ‘feminist’ Monopoly gives women players more money than men - but not everyone is convinced

A new ‘feminist’ version of Monopoly has been unveiled in which female players get more money than males in an attempt to “teach children about the gender pay gap”.

In the game, female players will receive £240 for passing go, while males will only receive £200.

Hasbro, the company responsible for the new edition of the popular board game, said that it released Ms. Monopoly to celebrate female empowerment.

And for the first time in the franchise’s history the white moustached, top-hatted male mascot who appears on the front of the game has been replaced by a female mascot.

In a statement, Hasbro said: “It's a fun new take on the game that creates a world where women have an advantage often enjoyed by men.

”But don't worry, if men play their cards right, they can make more money too.“

Jen Boswinkel, senior director of global brand strategy and marketing for Hasbro Gaming, added that the intention was for women to get an advantage from the start.

Instead of buying property, players invest in inventions created by women, such as Wi-Fi, solar heating, “modern shapewear and chocolate chip cookies”.

Female players will still run the risk of jail time, luxury taxes and chance cards, however.

New tokens will also accompany the game, including a barbell, a glass, a jet plane, a watch and a white hat.

Then game appears to make light of the gender pay gap, jokingly suggesting that it evens the playing field by finally paying women more than men.

On social media, critics have attacked the game for virtue-signalling.

Annika H Rothstein wrote: “So I guess this progressive new Monopoly-take is that women can’t win without preferential treatment and handouts? Way to be feminist.”

Despite women inventing the computer algorithm, discovering DNA and stem cell isolation, the game attracted criticism for focusing on chocolate chip cookies and shapewear.

Camie Pickett wrote: "#Hasbro blows it with their misogyny. According to them, women can't be real estate moguls & only care about chocolate chip cookies, solar heating & modern shape wear. What a disgrace. #MsMonopoly"

Others have accused the company of further distorting the original creator’s vision of the game.

"This is really a joke considering Elizabeth Magie, an outspoken feminist, created the game to show the negative effects of land monopolisation and it was later stolen by Parker Brothers, made to be in favor of monopolies, and erroneously said to be created by Charles Darrow," wrote another user.

This isn't the first time that Monopoly have been blasted for their updates to the classic game.

In November last year, a 'millennial' Monopoly game was introduced which featured avocados, thrift stores, but no actual houses.

Equal pay between men and women has been a legal requirement in the UK since the Equal Pay Act was introduced in 1970.

Despite this, pay discrimination remains rife, with women in full-time positions earning on average 14.1 per cent less than their male counterparts.