...while I'm happy to finally own this classic game and appreciate the gift from my wife and son, I am very dissapointed in the component quality of this printing.

Not only are the tiles cardboard, which I was already aware of, but they are of an extremely thin stock. Probably the thinnest cardboard bits of the 90 games I own.

The reference charts are perforated paper in the back of the rulebook.

The stock certificates are of an extremely thin card stock.

The tile stands (think Scrabble) are pop-out, thicker stock cardboard that you bend and put together with little side pieces. I would have hoped for the plastic tile stands like Ingenious has or wooden like Scrabble.

The money is the expected paper money.

I'm usually not picky when it comes to component quality. While I appreciate high quality, I usually don't complain if the quality is less than stellar. But this was my first time feeling truly dissapointed in the component quality of a game. I'd have gladly spent an extra $10 for better components.

I am looking forward to playing Acquire, but I figured I should pass this info on to all of you before you decide to purchase this edition of Acquire.

Yes, I am very disappointed with both the 2008 Diplomacy and 2008 Acquire. For me these are worth getting for the rules, board, and markers, and both are ideal candidates for hobbyshopping custom components.

I don't at all share the negative opinion of Microsoft. But, I am increasingly taking the opinion of Wizards of the Coast just like when some people spit the word Microsoft.
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I'm the happy owner of the 1968 3M Edition. While i'm very thankful that Acquire is back in print, I don't think i'll be ordering the new version in order to keep the miles off my 3m copy.

I hear in WotC further attempts to keep prices down, the 2010 editions of both these games will consist of a blank sheet of paper and a crayon.

If I'm not mistaken, you're referring to the deluxe version.
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So, basically, even worse than expected?

If you want 'quality' and portability, pick up old 3M bookshelf editions from Ebay or thrift shops.

The tiles are plastic and will last a long time.

If you're 'worried' about wear and tear, sleeve the stock certificates. Money can easily be replaced from other games if they tear. OR use poker chips.

While the new edition is dissapointing in terms of quality, at least it's in print. The price point isn't too bad either.

fwiw i flipped through the new edition of diplomacy and thought it was very good

I was lucky enough to find a 68 3M Edition as well for cheap on E-Bay. Never mind the components, play the game. It's a classic.

Other than Nexus Ops, I've been disappointed with Wizard's overall quality of gaming entertainment ever since Richard Garfield sold the company to Hasbro.

I recently received the 2008 printing as well. The component quality is definitely pretty poor, but I'm glad to own a copy of Acquire that only cost around 20 bucks. I'm only somewhat disappointed -- I knew what I was getting into when I bought it. I would love to have the '99 version for its big, chunky plastic bits but at the price it's fetching... No thanks. At least the new version's box is tiny in comparison to that edition.

I may yet pick up one of the 60's editions or another with plastic or wooden tiles if I can find it on the cheap, but I'm not going to fork out $100+ for the Hasbro version. Until then, I'll be glad to play it with my shoddy bits. Though if there are some DIY upgrades for this version that come about, I might check that out as well.

To be fair, Vegas Showdown was good too

Not all that good. The player mats are flimsy and have to be backfolded, and even then don't lay perfectly flat because they're just paper. The poker chips are marginal too, esp. considering the glut of higher-quality chips out there that I'm sure Hasbro could get in bulk for next to nothing.

But the player aids are very nice and thick.

I picked this up on Monday. It still is in shrink, I have the 99' version, I bought 08' to keep the wear off of the old one. I may just return the 08' version and wear down the 99' version instead. Thanks for the post.

I played Vegas Showdown yesterday (not for the first time, but its fresh in my mind), and I found that aside from the mats, its not a bad production. The whole game does suffer thanks to those paper mats though.

That's why I laminated all of my player mats. You can't fit them in the box anymore, but they're now quite sturdy and drink-proof.

If a game has paper, I'll try to laminate it.

If I owned any of the 3 copies of Vegas I've played, I'd certainly follow suit

The man who sold WOTC:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Adkison

The man who made WOTC's biggest game:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Garfield

Different.

The deluxe edition will also include as a bonus, up to five Magic: the Gathering manna cards (5 per box).

I managed to find the '99 version on eBay for US$60, but that was a lucky find. I too had a chance to see the components of the new Acquire and...I'm glad to have the '99 version.

It's one thing if they want to make it cheaper, but to make it this cheap they had to really try. I mean, spending time on a designer and a custom die to cut the tile trays, rather than just using standard production Scrabble trays or even cheap (but sturdier) plastic?

The thing that turned me off the most though was the stock certificates. They look great (really), but the card stock, if you can call it that, is SO thin that they might as well be paper. Think Ticket to Ride Switzerland cards, but thinner. They will never hold up to the counting and recounting that players will do as they go through the game.

Aside from finding the 60's 3M version at a thrift store (I've seen several over the past couple of years, and I haven't really looked hard), there is at least two other things I can think of to try...

1. I think someone else has suggested this, but laminate the stock, or at least see if you can get it into a card sleeve.

2. In another post about gaming in general, someone suggested using poker chips in place of paper money in games. I found some recently (500 clay chips for $39) that we've used for Power Grid and St. Petersburg. If you get creative, you might even be able to replace the stock certs.

I'm really sorry this game wasn't printed with more quality/durability in mind (it feels damn near disposable), but I guess that's what it means to buy Hasbro these days.

Thanks for posting your views on this. I recently bought a 1962 copy of Acquire on ebay and had it shipped to Oz. After paying for shipping, it was almost as expensive as buying the new version that I've seen this week retailing at my FLGS for $50 Aus.

As I love the game, I thought that I could buy a player's version of the new edition (because it does *look* great), and keep the old one for nostalgia's sake, but from what you saying it would seem that the old 3M copies are more durable. I'll think I'll save my $50.

Although 3M games are a rarity in Australia, I'd recommend that if you are concerned about the print quality etc. that you should keep an eye out for copies of Acquire in your American Thrift stores. They frequently pop up on the Thrift List on BGG, so they must be out there!

It's all the same game, but the 1999 version is the best. The components are great!

Are there plastic (a petroleum-based product) components in this version? Or is it all paper, a renewable resource?

With the current uncertainties in oil, this may be a smart, long-term option to keep this game in print at a reasonable price point.

This sounds worse than the '95 version (the one I own). I guess, and this is the first time I have ever said this, it sounds like my edition isn't so terrible after all, plus I have these!

This is the way Monarch Printing would have wanted it.