Location-Based App Landlord Turns The City Into A Monopoly Game

Some time ago I came across Landlord, a recently launched location-based smartphone game. I decided to give it a try. Conclusion after a few weeks of playing: it’s fun and addictive.

Landlord is a real-world property game that enables you to buy Foursquare venues you visit and then earn rent as people check in at those properties on Foursquare. Like Monopoly, every player starts with a budget ($50,000). Unlike Monopoly, you’re only allowed to buy venues that are nearby, so no dices here but GPS. Every time a Foursquare user checks in at a venue you own, you earn rent.

Players can boost their rental income by upgrading their properties with things like Wi-Fi, karaoke evenings and VIP areas. If you collect groups of similar properties you’ll go up a level and get rent bonuses. Nevertheless, you have to pick your venues wisely because you have to pay a daily property charge to the bank.

The cool thing is that a venue’s value is based on its check-in numbers. Amsterdam’s Central Station, for instance, is valued over $7,000,000, so it will take some time before you can buy it. Property values fluctuate, so if less people check in than before, the value goes down. The best thing is to invest in Foursquare venues you expect to improve in the near future, and sell them at the right moment. That speculative element is what makes Landlord a really interesting game. Click here to check it out.