WotC Hasbro Bets Big on D&D

During today's 'Hasbro Fireside Chat', Hasbro's Chris Cocks, chief executive officer, and Cynthia Williams, president of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming mentioned D&D, and about betting big on its name. This was in addition to the Magic: The Gathering discussion they held on the same call.

The following are rough notes on what they said.

D&D Beyond

• Leaning heavily on D&D Beyond
• 13 million registered users
• Give them more ways to express their fandom
• Hired 350 people last year
• Low attrition

What’s next for D&D

• Never been more popular
• Brand under-monetized
• Excited about D&D Beyond possibilities
• Empower accessibility and development of the user base.
• Data driven insight
• Window into how players are playing
• Companion app on their phone
• Start future monetization starting with D&D Beyond
• DMs are 20% of the audience but lions share of purchases
• Digital game recurrent spending for post sale revenue.
• Speed of digital can expand, yearly book model to include current digital style models.
• Reach highly engaged multigenerational fans.
• Dungeons and Dragons has recognition, 10 out of 10
• Cultural phenomenon right now.
• DND strategy is a broad four quadrant strategy
• Like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings or Marvel
• New books and accessories, licensed game stuff, and D&D Beyond
• Huge hopes for D&D

What is success for the D&D Movie

• First big light up oppourtunity for 4th quadrant
• Significant marketing
• They think it’ll have significant box office
• It has second most viewed trailer at Paramount, only eclipsed by Transformers
• Will be licensed video games, some on movies
• Then follow up other media, TV, other movies, etc.
• Bullish on D&D.

 

[Malmuria]

The low hanging fruit of monetization isn't, I don't think, customizable digital minis. It's the subscription itself. Right now it costs $0 per month to play dnd, even using dnd beyond. If they could make that $5/month for dnd beyond, and maybe $5/month for the vtt, that itself would be a monumental increase in revenue. For example right now you can share content with your group on dndbeyond; they might start charging to do that.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

The player interface app is the side where problematic microtransactions are more likely. Quite a few modern VTTs have some form of reoccuring revenue stream like a subscription unlock, asset packs, or whatever... those are almost universally a thing the GM buys or gets gifted. Even the ones with a client app of some form tend to allow players to use it for free. Wotc as both system creator & a vtt maker could do things that current VTTs can not like include forms of pay to win type features or gacha mechanics in the client app & the gm might not even have the ability to realize the player did so without auditing the player's account on the player's phone.

That stuff is not going to happen. It makes zero sense to do that.

 

[darjr]

The low hanging fruit of monetization isn't, I don't think, customizable digital minis. It's the subscription itself. Right now it costs $0 per month to play dnd, even using dnd beyond. If they could make that $5/month for dnd beyond, and maybe $5/month for the vtt, that itself would be a monumental increase in revenue. For example right now you can share content with your group on dndbeyond; they might start charging to do that.

I dunno. I think it's probably the single biggest thing bringing in new people actually.

Reddit regularly has a "free comapaign access" thread and it's designed for folks that need or want access but not long term. Not in the thread but I've heard lots of people got a taste for beyond in just such a way and went back and bought things after losing it.

It would make for a loud outcry if they did too.

But 5$ a month to play in the VTT? I could see that for players. Except, again, the free access for players model is working for them.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

The low hanging fruit of monetization isn't, I don't think, customizable digital minis. It's the subscription itself. Right now it costs $0 per month to play dnd, even using dnd beyond. If they could make that $5/month for dnd beyond, and maybe $5/month for the vtt, that itself would be a monumental increase in revenue. For example right now you can share content with your group on dndbeyond; they might start charging to do that.

Content sharing on Beyond is already behind a Subscription.

 

[darjr]

That stuff is not going to happen. It makes zero sense to do that.

also it's not like they could add stealth cheater modes without everyone knowing. My ban hammer would be on a light trigger if it were offered.

 

[darjr]

Content sharing on Beyond is already behind a Subscription.

For the DM.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

For the DM.

You don’t have to be the DM (though it’s most likely the DM) sharing content just requires one person have the Master Sub and they can share any books they own.

Like my prediction at what will happen is that the VTT access will be added onto this subscription and the price will rise a bit.

 

[darjr]

You don’t have to be the DM (though it’s most likely the DM) sharing content just requires one person have the Master Sub and they can share any books they own.

Ah, good point.

Except the Master Sub owns the campaign? Right? Or can anyone?

Edit: just looked, yea the master sub owns the campaign but the master sub can have a character in the campaign.. OK then.

 

[Malmuria]

You don’t have to be the DM (though it’s most likely the DM) sharing content just requires one person have the Master Sub and they can share any books they own.

Like my prediction at what will happen is that the VTT access will be added onto this subscription and the price will rise a bit.

I'm saying one path to increased revenue would be charge for the one person to share content

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I'm saying one path to increased revenue would be charge for the one person to share content

They already do that.