PAWTUCKET, R.I. (TheBlaze/AP) — To use the words of Heidi Klum on “Project Runway,” “you’re either in or your out.” For the classic board game Monopoly, fans voted and the iron game piece is now out. But, Hasbro Inc., welcomes a new game piece to replace it.
The Internet voted and congratulations to the cat, you’re in!

This image provided by Hasbro shows the new Monopoly game piece. Makers of the classic game Monopoly wanted players to take a chance on a new token and the cat won in online voting. (Photo: AP/Hasbro)
The results were announced Wednesday after the shoe, wheelbarrow and iron were neck and neck for elimination in the final hours of voting that sparked passionate efforts by fans to save their favorite tokens, and by businesses eager to capitalize on publicity surrounding pieces that represent their products.

These tokens were up for being axed. The iron is what least favored by the Internet to stay. (Photo: Monopoly/Facebook)
The vote on Facebook closed just before midnight on Tuesday, marking the first time that fans have had a say on which of the eight tokens to add and which one to toss. The pieces identify the players and have changed quite a lot since Parker Brothers bought the game from its original designer in 1935.
Watch Monopoly’s announcement:
Rhode Island-based Hasbro announced the new piece Wednesday morning.
Other pieces that contested for a spot on Monopoly included a robot, diamond ring, helicopter and guitar.

Other options for the new token. (Images: AP/Hasbro)
Fans from more than 120 countries voted.
“We put five new tokens out for our fans to vote on and there were a lot of fans of the many different tokens, but I think there were a lot of cat lovers in the world that reached out and voted for the cat to be the new token for Monopoly,” said Jonathan Berkowitz, vice president for Hasbro gaming marketing.
The Scottie Dog was the most popular of the classic tokens, and received 29% of the vote, the company said. The iron got the least votes and was kicked to the curb.
The cat, which has no name, received 31% of votes for new tokens.
The online contest to change the tokens was sparked by chatter on Facebook, where Monopoly has more than 10 million fans. The initiative was intended to ensure that a game created nearly eight decades ago remains relevant and engaging to fans today.
“Tokens are always a key part of the Monopoly game … and our fans are very passionate about their tokens, about which token they use while they play,” Berkowitz said.
Monopoly’s iconic tokens originated when the niece of game creator Charles Darrow suggested using charms from her charm bracelet for tokens. The game is based on the streets of Atlantic City, N.J., and has sold more than 275 million units worldwide.
To make the game relevant to fans abroad, the names are changed to well-known streets in when it is introduced to a new country.
The other tokens are a racecar, a shoe, thimble, top hat, wheelbarrow and battleship. Most of the pieces were introduced with the first Parker Brothers iteration of the game in 1935, and the Scottie dog and wheelbarrow were added in the early 1950s.
“I’m sad to see the iron go,” Berkowitz said. “Personally, I’m a big fan of the racecar so I’m very relieved it was saved but it is sad to see the iron go.”
The social-media buzz created by the Save Your Token Campaign attracted numerous companies that pushed to protect specific tokens that reflect their products.
That includes garden tool maker Ames True Temper Inc. of Camp Hill, Penn., that spoke out in favor of the wheelbarrow and created a series of online videos that support the tool and online shoe retailer Zappos which pushed to save the shoe, Berkowitz said.
“We’ve even had some companies like Jolly Time Pop Corn reach out and petition to have a popcorn token added to the game, even though that’s not one of the new five tokens,” he said.
Versions of Monopoly with the new token will come out later this year.




















































































































DZ-015
Feb. 7, 2013 at 12:36pmIt’s a sad day for the sad iron.
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mcmeador
Feb. 6, 2013 at 10:09pm“To use the words of Heidi Klum on ‘Project Runway,’ ‘you’re either in or your out.’”
Seriously, does anyone do any proofreading here?
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pennsy.357
Feb. 6, 2013 at 7:10pmAnd here I thought they finally came out with the African American History Monopoly where every spot on the board is “go to jail”.
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Jake Dog2
Feb. 6, 2013 at 8:22pmVery racist
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ZengaPA65
Feb. 6, 2013 at 8:58pmLOL!!! True that.
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nomorpc4me
Feb. 6, 2013 at 6:08pmNewer is not always better.
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ClemBradshaw
Feb. 6, 2013 at 4:49pmI don’t like it, but what can I do…..Hasbro has a monopoly.
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cranberry
Feb. 6, 2013 at 3:20pmI’m glad the cat won, they need to work on some of the other ones too. A thimble? Seriously?
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OniKaze
Feb. 6, 2013 at 4:03pmAgreed, I was also hoping that the Thimble would go when I heard about this about 2 months ago…
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battles
Feb. 6, 2013 at 1:32pmThere should be new Chance card: Kitty has given you Toxoplasmosis. Go directly to the hospital. Pay $20,000 in hospital fees.
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PurrrpleMtnMajesty
Feb. 6, 2013 at 1:57pmOnly if they ALSO add : IF you do not have the kitty token, you have been hit by the bubonic plague. You die. Pay for your hospital stay, burial , then select who you will leave your remaining assets to.
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S-O-B-E-R
Feb. 6, 2013 at 6:53pmToxoplasma gondii – increased depression and suicidal tendencies in owners. In other words, Obama voters: http://politicker.com/2012/11/obama-campaign-deploys-cat-meme-to-get-out-the-vote-in-ohio/
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Ghandi was a Republican
Feb. 6, 2013 at 1:30pmWell- If we are going to talk “tokens” shouldn’t monopoly be PC enough to add a non-contributing anti-Capitalist liberal to the line up? Just sayin’
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BSdetector
Feb. 6, 2013 at 2:01pmAlf Sharpton token!
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crystalsky
Feb. 6, 2013 at 1:01pmRemember don’t vote out the shoe we need it to hit Im a nut job and Morsi
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environmentalandawake
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:57pmLet me guess, it was racist, or not gender neutral?
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KissMyAmericanFlag
Feb. 6, 2013 at 1:32pm{sigh}… Marketing opportunity becomes one more Chinese-made import to the US…
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KidCharlemagne
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:56pmThe iron will now become a collectible most likely.
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White Devil
Feb. 6, 2013 at 3:39pmthat’s what i’d presume. the most creative and querky piece, very random, but i have the original, so all is well :)
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barber2
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:55pmNo Guy Fawkes mask ?
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h20sue
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:55pmI loved the IRON. What’s that saying….”Why fix it if is isn’t broken?”
Must have been Obama wanting “change”. If we could move the clock back to the 60′s/70′s the liberals would not be destroying our government and lives. They just love CHANGE, and nine times out of ten, IT’S WRONG.
Same sex marriage is wrong, gays in the miltary is wrong, and most definitely, allowing gay boys in our Boy Scouts is WRONG! I’m in my late 50′s and women have no business on the front line of war. WRONG! This is taking equal rights too far…
There are more important things to worry about, such as JOBS, ECONOMY, AND ILLEGAL LIBERAL NONSENSE, WELFARE SCAMS, REAL ESTATE SCAMS, AND MORE!
I’m am not concerned about Monopoly, but more concerned about how to survive the next four years with Obummer in the Whitehouse, All we have left is prayer, because Obama Care will finish us off.
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avgconservative
Feb. 6, 2013 at 4:03pmMay I suggest a little less coffee?
What??? A light-hearted relief clip here and there on the blaze is needed. Here’s one which I enjoyed and I’m just as passionate about the same concerns you have mentioned… and agree with your position. But, hey, fella… life is going to be gone and you will have lived in a self-imposed misery phone booth for the last few years of your life.
Lighten up once in a while, then go back after the fight.
Just sayin…
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azfelix
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:52pmYou can place the dog on the iron and pretend it is a jet ski.
At least one can still throw the shoe at the cat.
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TeresaJ
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:49pmThe iron is the piece I always choose if the horse statue isn’t available (who knows where that piece went). Now I guess I’m stuck with the wheelbarrow? Good thing our monopoly set is in good shape; I can keep my iron.
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VanceUppercut
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:49pmI’ve never actually seen anyone use the iron or the thimble in a game. The Monopoly set I have has a piece that looks like a bag of cash; I guess that was just a piece for that specific edition or something.
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RJJinGadsden
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:46pmSorry, but this is about as interesting as voting for the colors of M&Ms. And, yes I do like both Monopoly and M&Ms.
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TeresaJ
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:53pmYes, but when they did that, they didn’t warn us they would be removing light brown, my second favorite color after green. As a young child, I was quite devastated! D:
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right-wing-waco
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:46pmI thought for sure the politically incorrect battleship would be the one to go. The iron got the bump probably due to the few people alive today that have ANY idea what the iron was. My question is why can’t they just add a few more and make the choice broader?
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Gonzo
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:43pmI’m surprised the hammer and sickle wasn’t in the running.
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right-wing-waco
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:49pmBingo, 10 points for the best comment. It would have made sense with this administration.
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barber2
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:57pmYou’re Right – Wing Wacko !
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Ben__Franklin
Feb. 6, 2013 at 1:39pmThey took out the Iron, now my wife cannot do her “woman’s work”. That’s 25 Lashes for her after our call to prayer this evening.
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mrja
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:42pmThe cash is out, the EBT card and obama cell phone token is in.
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naughtycal
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:47pmLol
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PK_SEA
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:41pmI liked the iron because it was easy to grab and move around the board.
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RoDogg
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:40pmThey got rid of the iron right??? I bet it had NOTHING to do with sexism or anything right?? Better replace that iron with something gender neutral!
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VanceUppercut
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:50pm@RoDogg
It was done by vote–something Cons have been having a hard time with lately. Snap.
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kaydeebeau
Feb. 6, 2013 at 12:37pmbread and circuses…..
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