Hasbro is partnering with Italian game development studio Xplored to integrate digital elements and smart sensors into its popular physical board games. 

Under the agreement, Xplored will collaborate with Hasbro to develop new editions of the toyco’s games, including classics like Monopoly and Clue. Hasbro and Xplored will also develop entirely new games together and work on expanding these brands through licensing deals. 

The new Hasbro games will use Xplored’s Teburu technology, which features a game board embedded with electronic sensors and smart dice that track game pieces and dice rolls. By pairing the tech with a tablet or computer, the game system’s AI can resolve rules correctly (without players needing to reach for a rulebook), add in new storytelling events and remember where players left off for future play sessions. 

By putting a digital spin on these classic games, the toyco is aiming to make them more accessible to new audiences and keep players engaged in the experience for longer, says Hasbro VP of sales and marketing Adam Biehl. 

“Our intent is to thoughtfully add multimedia content and digital capabilities to enrich storytelling, game mechanics and player onboarding, while preserving what people value in board games:  face-to-face interaction and the satisfying tactility of rolling dice and moving physical components,” Biehl says. 

The partners are currently developing their retail and marketing strategy, but had not settled on a launch window for the board games as of press time. 

Hasbro has been in contact with Xplored and evaluating its tech for over a year, says Biehl. Now the technology looks like it’s at a place where it can energize the board game market with a digital twist. 

“The reactions from players to [Xplored’s] working prototypes, the Kickstarter campaign and demonstrations at conventions have been really positive,” says Biehl. “We feel their concepts have evolved to a place where Hasbro can optimize and scale them into a global product.”

Xplored has previously used its tech in the company’s original role-playing board game The Bad Karmas (pictured), which it funded on Kickstarter last year with support from more than 1,100 backers. The studio also co-developed VR toy game Tori (2019) with Bandai Namco, and toy racing game Runimalz (2017) with Japan’s 505 Games.