R2OK!

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

Classic murder-solving board game Cluedo has been given a facelift which has killed off its famous characters.

Old characters like Colonel Mustard and Professor Plum have been replaced by football pundit Jack Mustard and video game billionaire Victor Plum.

The house has been renovated from a stately home into a modern mansion complete with a theatre and spa rather than library and ballroom.

There are also new murder weapons, including a dumbbell and baseball bat.

Miss Scarlet is now movie star Kasandra Scarlet, cook Mrs White is now child star Diane White and Reverend Green is now Jacob Green, "the man on the scene with all the ins".

The game, in which players try to discover who murdered the house's owner, Mr Black, was launched in 1949.

It was invented by a solicitor's clerk called Anthony Pratt, whose original characters wielded bombs and hypodermic needles.

Hasbro spokesman Craig Wilkins said: "We wanted to bring the game bang up to date. The new characters are more in tune with modern society, and with the added touch of a first name, more human."

BBC News.

SantaFefan

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

Indeed. The original characters bore little reflection on real life in the mid 20th century - and that escapism was one of the attractions of the game in the first place.

There's a nice piece of comment in today's Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/08/15/do1503.xml

The makers have said, at this stage, that they are killing the old format off, not having them run side by side for a while, so I warrant that the toy shop shelves will be bare of it this morning and likely to remain so. However, popular demand (sales) has been known to change corporate minds before and the body may yet rise to fight another day.
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Ron

MadeinSurrey · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:41 am Post subject:

Really wish I could edit/correct the title of this thread Rolling Eyes

Plesae, Mark, could you change it?
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MiS

Shaky Fan · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 628

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Title sorted Smile

We have a Cluedo in my daughter's old wardrobe. Cluedo will win whatever happens, folks will buy the old version before it ends, and other folks will buy the new version in case it flops (and becomes a rare item) so sales will go up.

I like the old names, but I'm an old codger Laughing

Mark Mayhew · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 2897

Likewise I like the old/original version of this game.

Why do they have to update it-I can't see the reason for having to do so.

MadeinSurrey · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:31 am Post subject:

Toggy · Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239

I prefer the old names too, what's wrong with proffesor plumb in the study with the lead piping.

Are we now to have Jacob Green in the widescreen tv lounge with the laptop case?