The rules of the word game Scrabble are being changed for the first time in its history to allow the use of proper nouns.
Place names, people's names and company names or brands will now be allowed.
Games company Mattel is bringing out a new version of the game containing the amended rules in July this year in the hope the change will encourage younger people to play, the BBC reports.
At present, only a few proper nouns are allowed, determined by a word list based on the Collins Dictionary.
Mattel will continue to sell a version of Scrabble with the original rules.
The vice-president of New Zealand's Scrabble Players' Association says the rule change is not valid and is a ruse by Mattel for the new version of Scrabble it is promoting.
Paul Lister told Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint programme that the formal rules of Scrabble remain the same, and any changes in New Zealand must be approved by the country's Scrabble Association executive.
