The Simpsons Officially Drops New Animated Short With an Iconic Game Twist

The Simpsons just released a new animated short that packs a surprising number of gags and references into just a few minutes. The legendary cartoon is promoting a new crossover with the Monopoly Go! mobile game, but it’s not phoning in the collaboration. The short — which comes in just under four minutes — pairs Mr. Burns (Harry Shearer) with Mr. Monopoly, who is voiced here by Will Ferrell. The two get competitive about who wears their wealth with more style, hinting at the kind of dynamic that could spring up between users in Monopoly Go! It’s a surprisingly organic means of bringing these two brands together, and another sign that The Simpsons could be making a comeback in the video game medium.

Whether you’re a mobile game fan or not, if you love The Simpsons, this animated short is worth a watch. It speed-runs a story pitting Mr. Burns against “‘ole Monopoly,” who turns out to be an old rival. We get some flashbacks to the two facing off in their youth with some deep-cut references to Monopoly lore — Burns refers to the Monopoly Man by his canonical surname, Pennybags, and a flashback implies that Burns helped establish some of the player pieces in the Monopoly board game.

The short is pretty clearly an ad, but it leaves time for some jokes you might expect to see in any Simpsons episode. Both Burns and Pennybags crack jokes about billionaires and privilege, and they even star in a Real Housewives parody called “Real Rich Guys of Springfield.” It’s a strong case of a true brand tie-in, persuading viewers that there’s a reason they’re seeing these two worlds collide.

‘The Simpsons’ Sell ‘Monopoly Go!’ Seamlessly

Image via Monopoly Go!

Monopoly is over a century old now, and this new mobile board game is a spin-off in every sense. First released in 2023, Monopoly Go! resembles a stripped-down version of the original repurposed for single players and an infinite loop of gameplay. Players start out with ownership of all properties on the board and play for in-game money to upgrade their landmarks. The usual trips around the board are occasionally interrupted by mini-games and “events” like “Treasure Hunts” and “Bank Heists.” The game can be played alone or with other players on their own devices.

The game has been wildly successful — it was the biggest mobile game launch of 2023 with over $1 billion in revenue, and it has remained strong ever since. In-game microtransactions and ads have kept the game profitable for its creator, Scopely, and it’s no surprise that studios are eager to get in on the action with properties like The Simpsons. That said, this crossover is shaping up to be a surprisingly great fit, with little contrivance needed to bring the brands together.

The most brilliant move these advertisers made was to focus on Mr. Burns, rather than a more central character. In another world, this might have been a tough sell — not only leaning on a side character, but vilifying the Monopoly Man in the process. However, the Simpson family gets their time to shine as well, and they’re in the right context for monopoly. This short doesn’t shy away from the fact that Mr. Burns and Pennybags are the players in this game, while Homer, Bart, and others are just pieces on the board.

This was an intentional choice, according to 20th Century Games executive Josh Drake. In an interview with IGN ahead of this game’s release, he said that finding a real connection between the brands was a part of the plan from the outset. He said that in conversations between the studio and the game developers, Drake and his team urged them to “be subversive, be Simpson-y. Don’t just be a butt-kissy, pointless brand collaboration.”

The timing was also great for The Simpsons, who are fresh off a few other video game successes. The quintessential suburban family appeared in Fortnite last year, just as the show’s own mobile game, The Simpsons: Tapped Out was finally delisted. Fans are hoping to see more of The Simpsons in a playable format soon, with some classic games up for re-masters. In the meantime, The Simpsons Season 37 is due to return from hiatus on June 17 on Fox and Disney+. The Simpsons Monopoly Go! crossover event is going on now through July 29 in the app.

Release Date

December 17, 1989

Network

FOX

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  Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)

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  Julie Kavner

  Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)