Postmodern Version of Milton Bradley's The Game Now Popular On Today's Campuses

One of my favorite games for a time when young was The Game of Life. Milton Bradley created and sold the famous board game in 1860 just before the outset of the Civil War. When introduced it was originally The Checkered Game of Life. I half wonder if it had been named that to encourage Checkers players to give it a try, or whether it was an early attempt at realism in a fallen world.

A modern version of the game, the one we played as kids, was introduced in 1960. People married, had children and careers, drove around in cars and all the rest. In 1984 Milton Bradley was taken over by Hasbro, who also absorbed Parker Brothers. As games have evolved so has our culture.

The postmodern version of Milton Bradley’s Game of Life is now simply called The Game and it has become the most popular game on campuses from coast to coast. Christmas sales in 2014 exceeded ten million copies.

The game had been updated 1998 as a result of dwindling sales in the once popular Game of Life, a newer version came with a whole new approach and a new set of rules more in keeping with the times. Despite moderately weak acceptance by the public initially, Hasbro persisted in promoting The Game in the belief that it would eventually catch on. It wasn't until the company gave it a post-modern spin in 2005 that sales began to take off. Sales have now exceeded one billion dollars.

The original 1998 version of The Game, a strategy game involving cards and a set of tiles with letters and symbols, was straightforward, logical and rational. Everything meant what it appeared to mean. The letter A was a letter A and the symbol for water was water. The rules were simple and clear, easily grasped and easy to follow.

The postmodern version of The Game is nuanced and ambiguous. The letters and symbols can each have numerous meanings, depending on the order in which they are played as well as context. Combinations of tiles that resulted in one person winning in the earlier version might result in two others winning in the new version. Even when tiles are played in identical formations in two games in a row, the outcomes can be different due to subtle complexities in the rules because tallies end up meaning the opposite of what they appear. “To casual observers the rules appear to be nonsense,” said Hasbro spokesperson Aaron Bennett. “Whereas the earlier Game was for children eight and up, this new version is clearly for older children and young adults, our target audience. Sales of The Game to older demographics have not been particularly brisk.” It is rumored that Parker Brothers is now working on a post-modern version of Monopoly. Avalon Hill is close to introducing a post-modern version of its classic strategy war game Stratego. And two video game manufacturers are in a bidding war to obtain rights to turn the classic war game Risk into an international karaoke challenge.

Meantime, life goes on all around you. If you're going to play, play to win.

EdNote: All trademarked names are the property of their respective owners.

14 Year Old Submits New Game To Milton Bradley

When I was fourteen I created a game and submitted it to Milton Bradley. They received it on Oct 27, 1966 at 11:41 AM. In addition to the three page letter I'd written about the game (unedited below), I included several pages of score sheets and a copy of the game board I had used.

To The Game Dept.
Milton Bradley

Dear Sirs,

This may sound silly, or this may sound originally brilliant. I invented a "new" game that I have been playing since last September. My friend liked it, too. One night my mother heard me playing and said I should write to the Milton Bradley Company.

I call it PFL football. Or the Professional Football League. I make a 15 game schedule, and score sheets for each game. To me it is very realistic with fumbles, interceptions, TDs, 8 yard losses, 20 yard passes and incompletes. I do all this with a home made football field 2' x 1 1/2', a deck of cards (with some removed) and a penny (as the football.)

I have roster sheets, League Standings sheets and score sheets. To make this a game it would be good to make your own pack of cards. 2 piles etc. (See samples)

Here I spent a page and a half detailing the rules of the game. In closing I wrote...

Since I'm a teen at 14, I know what kids over 12 like to do. Most of them love football. If you have nothing to do you watch T.V. or play a game. Many times, there is nobody to play the game with and T.V. may stink. That's why I made up this game, and since I liked it, I've been playing it. I never even expected to write to MB.

If you would like further information on how to play or anything else, please contact me at

1316 Roger Avenue

Somerville, NJ 08876

Truly Yours,

Ed Newman

On December 2, 1966, Milton Bradley Vice President Millens W. Taft, Jr. responded.

Mr. Leon Edward Newman

1316 Roger Avenue

Somerville, New Jersey 08876

re: Proffessional (sic) Football League

Dear Mr. Newman:

Thank you for submitting your idea to us.

Your idea has been presented to our Research Committee which has carefully studied it, having in mind the requirements necessary to make it adaptable to our line and also its originality.

The Committee's report has been completed, and we regret to advise that, although your item has merit, the sales potential is too limited in our estimation. We are therefore returning your material herewith by registered mail.

Your submitting this idea to us for consideration is nevertheless greatly appreciated, and we trust that, although it did not meet with our requirements, you will contact us again as you create and develop additional items.

Thank you again for submitting this idea to us, and we regret our inability to cooperate with you further in this particular instance.

Very truly yours,

MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY

Millens W. Taft, Jr.

Vice President

LESSONS

It just doesn't seem like I can close without trying to draw a lesson from all this.

In 1961, I won the Grotto Circus Contest in Cleveland. (see Dec 3, 2007 blog entry) I'm not sure if it was this that contributed to my perpetual optimism, but it must have helped. My mother's cheerful encouragement always helped, too, as you see in this story above, which resulted in... a rejection letter. But that was O.K. It was cool to get that rejection letter. I did not expect a response from the Vice President of Milton Bradley. It made an impression.

A few years later, I brought some day-glo posters to The Third Eye in New York City. They liked the posters, but didn't purchase them. The parking ticket was memorable.

The following year the president of Doubleday passed some of my sketchbooks around to five publishers for feedback as to whether I had talent. One evaluation letter said I could possibly become the next Peter Max. All five rejected my art, though.

Years later when I was trying to become a writer I followed all the rules and sent queries and articles to many magazines before I got a letter back with a hand written note saying I was getting better. He said my submission was in the correct format, which was good. At least someone was reading those submissions. It was a very nice rejection letter. I collected quite a few after that.

In the 1990's my Hollywood screenplays were read, also. And though I was paid for a winning story in 1991, it was never published, the only year they failed to publish the winners of that particular contest.

They say you have to fail before you can succeed. If you're reading this, then I have done both. I failed but kept going. Finally, after all these decades, someone has looked at something I created, and maybe even smiled. Hope it was you. If at first you don't succeed, try a bar-b-cue. If that don't work... try something else. Or just try again. Or... whatever. Just make sure you're having fun along the way.

CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE