In the late 1980s, before Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States, he was a real estate mogul and a reality-TV personality. At the height of his fame in 1989, Trump ventured into the world of board games with Trump: The Game, a product created in collaboration with Milton Bradley Company. However, despite the hype surrounding his name, the game did not achieve the success he had anticipated.
Much like Trump's real-life persona, Trump: The Game revolved around business deals, power, and money. Players would compete to make the most lucrative real estate deals, outsmarting each other through strategic trades, auctions, and negotiations. The tagline, "It's not whether you win or lose, but whether you win!" reflected Trump’s brand of aggressive deal-making and ambition.
The goal of the game was simple: accumulate the most money by acquiring properties, negotiating deals, and earning dividends. The game's mechanics, however, were often criticized for being overly complicated and not particularly fun, which might have contributed to its commercial failure.
When it was released in 1989, Trump: The Game was expected to sell over two million copies. However, it underperformed significantly, selling only 800,000 copies, a disappointment for both Trump and Milton Bradley. The game quickly disappeared from store shelves and became a relic of Trump's early foray into pop culture.
Fast forward to 2004, after Donald Trump became the host of the reality TV show The Apprentice, a hit that popularized his catchphrase, “You’re fired.” In an attempt to capitalize on the renewed interest in his brand, Trump re-released Trump: The Game. The revamped version was similar to the original but now included elements inspired by The Apprentice.
Despite the second launch, the game once again failed to capture widespread interest and quickly faded into obscurity. Critics and players found it to be less exciting compared to other strategy games, and it lacked the staying power needed to remain popular.
While Trump: The Game did not succeed commercially, it remains an interesting piece of pop culture history, showcasing Trump’s ambition to extend his brand into new markets, even as early as the 1980s. The game also serves as a reminder of how intertwined Trump's public persona has always been with business and entertainment.
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