Monopoly is a terrible, depressing board game; as one expert famously said, it's all about "grinding your opponents into dust" while you cackle. But at least the gouging and economic ruin has been confined to cardboard. Until now.

Hasbro has announced the creation of a "live worldwide game of Monopoly using Google Maps as the game board;" the involvement of Google, which lets anyone mash-up its map using a public API, is unclear. What is known, per the Guardian, is that you get three million virtual dollars with which to "buy" actual land, knock down buildings, erect skyscrapers, construct prisons, or pay "rent" to some jerk looking to bankrupt you. At least when he does, you won't have to see the smug look of victory on his face. (Until version 2.0.)