There’s a New Bob Ross-Themed Version of Monopoly and Apparently It’s the ‘Most Peaceful Version’ of the Game Ever Created

Available for pre-sale now, the undoubtedly soothing Bob Ross edition of Monopoly will be released in stores next month. 

The Bob Ross® Edition of MONOPOLY. Courtesy of Hasbro.

There’s no shortage of Bob Ross-themed merchandise out there. Fans of the beloved public-television painter can find his face on toasters and t-shirts, Chia Pets and Pez dispensers. 

Well you can add another to the list: Bob Ross-themed Monopoly. 

Hasbro, the company behind the game that’s ruined thousands of Thanksgivings, has announced a new edition dedicated to the late artist.

Now, Bob doesn’t seem like the type of person obsessed with ruthless real-estate annexation—even in board game form. But then again, this isn’t your grandparents’ Monopoly. It’s the “most peaceful edition” of the game ever created, Hasbro says. And it’s decked out with Rossian details. 

Each of the 28 title-deed cards features a work of art from Ross’s PBS show “The Joy of Painting,” while a squirrel, pine tree, and other favorite subjects of the painter make up the tokens. Houses are called “cabins” in this version; hotels are rebranded as “covered bridges.” The game’s Chance cards are replaced with “Happy Little Accidents” cards (naturally). 

The Bob Ross® Edition of MONOPOLY. Courtesy of Hasbro.

The Bob Ross® Edition of MONOPOLY. Courtesy of Hasbro.

Bob Ross, a man whose sedate voice taught a generation of millennials about ASMR, died in 1995, just a year after “The Joy of Painting” went off the air. The early ages of internet memedom turned him into a ubiquitous cult icon shortly thereafter, and today it’s almost impossible to find a Halloween party that doesn’t feature some lazy friend with a permed wig carrying around a cardboard pallet.  

Last year, a group of New York Times journalists set out to find all the paintings Ross made in the 11-year run of his show, a journey that led them to a cramped warehouse in Herndon, Virginia where thousands of his canvases are stacked like old pizza boxes. 

Available for pre-sale now, the Bob Ross edition of Monopoly will be released in stores next month. 


Follow Artnet News on Facebook:


Want to stay ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the breaking news, eye-opening interviews, and incisive critical takes that drive the conversation forward.
Article topics