WotC Who should own Wizards of the Coast if/when it is sold?

[Luminous]

Hopefully a businessman who also has a family?

 

[kenada]

At first glance, selling WotC seems similar to what happened with Bungie and Halo, but I don’t think WotC is more than just the D&D and M:tG company now. They’re more like 343 Industries than Bungie.

I assume if WotC were sold, it would be to private equity with Hasbro’s retaining the IP rights and licensing them back to WotC. The goal would be to externalize development costs while also turning it into a source of revenue (via licensing). Hasbro could also return some of the proceeds to shareholders, which their institutional investors would love.

 

[Inchoroi]

At first glance, selling WotC seems similar to what happened with Bungie and Halo, but I don’t think WotC is more than just the D&D and M:tG company now. They’re more like 343 Industries than Bungie.

I assume if WotC were sold, it would be to private equity with Hasbro’s retaining the IP rights and licensing them back to WotC. The goal would be to externalize development costs while also turning it into a source of revenue (via licensing). Hasbro could also return some of the proceeds to shareholders, which their institutional investors would love.

If it sells, this is probably the most likely scenario.

 

[Retreater]

Microsoft. They would be able to fully integrate digital tools while having a gaming division and various studios that understand games (at least on the digital front).

 

[Aaron L]

At first glance, selling WotC seems similar to what happened with Bungie and Halo, but I don’t think WotC is more than just the D&D and M:tG company now. They’re more like 343 Industries than Bungie.

I assume if WotC were sold, it would be to private equity with Hasbro’s retaining the IP rights and licensing them back to WotC. The goal would be to externalize development costs while also turning it into a source of revenue (via licensing). Hasbro could also return some of the proceeds to shareholders, which their institutional investors would love.

Good gawd I hope not. D&D would be quickly dissasembled and sold off for parts (Forgotten Realms to one bidder, Greyhawk to another, Dragonlance to another, etc.) and the game itself left to rot, like a poacher who shoots an endangered animal just to cut off its tusks/claws/head and leave the rest. Private equity firms are a bane upon our culture, and have destroyed other beloved things.

 

[Aaron L]

Microsoft. They would be able to fully integrate digital tools while having a gaming division and various studios that understand games (at least on the digital front).

Ugh. Look at what Microsoft did with BattleTech shudder

 

[Shag]

My hope is that it would go to Goodman Games. They are doing great work, and seem to have respect for where the game came from and where it can go.

 

[kenada]

Good gawd I hope not. D&D would be quickly dissasembled and sold off for parts (Forgotten Realms to one bidder, Greyhawk to another, Dragonlance to another, etc.) and the game itself left to rot, like a poacher who shoots an endangered animal just to cut off its tusks/claws/head and leave the rest. Private equity firms are a bane upon our culture, and have destroyed other beloved things.

Same. I’m just trying to figure out what makes the most sense to Hasbro. My assumption is Hasbro wants the IP rights but doesn’t really care all that much about the games.

There are a couple of alternatives (that are variants of the same theme): Hasbro could fold WotC and license the rights, or they could sell the assets and licensed the rights to the buyer. I just expect the private equity maneuver to be more lucrative (even if probably worse for D&D).

Personally, I’d be totally okay with Hasbro’s remaining hands-off and letting D&D continue its slow burn of success: release stuff at a slow but steady rate and keep old books selling well. Evergreen rulebook sales are really unusual, so don’t kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

 

[Gladius Legis]

Anybody but Disney ...

 

[Umbran]

None of the above. If it must be sold, let it be spun off into its own freestanding game company.

 

[R_J_K75]

To be fair, selling a business when it is red hot is generally the best time because that's when you get the best sale price. If the business is doing terrible, no one wants to buy it.

I think that if WotC/D&D are sold because its tanking in the future I bet someone with a vision of how to improve the game or they could do a better job than Hasbro they might take a chance and buy it cheap. A smaller company would be better IMO.