A close-to-home board game launches on the West Shore this week.
Victoria-based Outset Media, in collaboration with Walmart Canada, will issue a limited edition version of Monopoly called Langford-Opoly.
The game features familiar West Shore properties and attractions like Darcy’s Pub, the Luxton Fair, Hatley Castle and the Goldstream Farmers’ Market and lets players collect city blocks and trade them in for keys to the city.
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Jean-Paul Teskey, senior vice president of Outset Media Corporation said the games company and Walmart are bringing versions of this game to communities across Canada.
Walmart, which has exclusive rights to the Monopoly games, contacted Outset Media asking the company to create the game.
“When Walmart first approached us we asked if they want a Victoria-Opoly,” Teskey said. “And they said ‘absolutely not we want to do something in the smaller communities.'”
The game works like regular Monopoly where players can buy properties and charge rent for those that land on them. However, it has some West Shore twists. Instead of going to jail, for example, players get stuck in a traffic jam.
“These are all streets you know or events or attractions that you’ve known your whole life,” Teskey said. “It’s (also) for visitors who come from across the country or world. They can bring home a little piece of these communities.”
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Outset Media and Walmart Canada have been releasing games like Langford-Opoly in communities all across Canada. In Miramichi, N.B., over 1,000 games were sold.
“Smaller communities are embracing this idea more because it’s so unique,” Teskey said. “How often do you see something that talks about properties, places and events in Langford?”
Teskey said the games will be coming to the Walmart in Langford this week, however an exact date was not available.
The companies are producing 720 Langford-Opoly games and Teskey said once they’re gone, they’re gone.
“It’s a very limited edition run,” Teskey said. “Unless there’s a huge demand, that will be it.”
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
