WotC Filing: Wizards of the Coast makes up roughly 70% of Hasbro's value

[NotAYakk]

Except Wonder Woman and Aquaman. Both of those films -embraced- their characters and the over the top natures of their fights. At least right up 'til Wonder Woman's CGI Fight against the God of War who just used Telekinesis repeatedly rather than, y'know... actually fighting.

What was with that.

I mean, I sort of get it. War isn't about combat, war is about logistics. So the God of War doesn't fight, they use others to fight for them.

... but come on.

 

[Mannahnin]

What was with that.

I mean, I sort of get it. War isn't about combat, war is about logistics. So the God of War doesn't fight, they use others to fight for them.

... but come on.

Yeah. The idea that war, especially as personified by Ares, is nasty and brutal and unfair and dishonorable, makes some thematic sense. That does fit with the story.

But the end fight was still by far the most disappointing part of the movie. Just a CGI fest without much real drama (which, TBF, is a pitfall for most superhero movies). If you're going to go with this concept of Ares, maybe make her outwit him somehow. Harder to write, of course, but probably more rewarding, like in Dr. Strange.

 

[Mecheon]

As I heard it, originally there wasn't going to be any battle, no Ares, and it was far more relevant to war just being something humans do with no intervention from divine beings.

But, well, studio execs

 

[teitan]

To think, not just two months ago someone on the AD&D1e Uncensored group was trying to say that 5e only got a small bump from STranger Things and WOTC was milking it. HA.

 

[Steampunkette]

Warner Bros. Discovery Exploring Overhaul of DC Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE)

Warner Bros. Discovery is eyeing a DC Entertainment overhaul, sources tell Variety.

variety.com

Called it.

 

[TBeholder]

So... "Value" is not "Revenue" or "Profits".
It's Valuation.
My house is worth $130,000. That doesn't mean I'm getting cash out of it. (Quite the opposite, really). It just means the VALUE is at $130,000.
They then go on to say how much WotC made for Hasbro in 2021 to try and convince you that it made 70% of the profits for that year... but that's not the case.

The OP article is heavily massaged numbers structured to make you feel outraged by giving you an intentionally lesser picture of what's happening.

That's one half of the rotten orange, yes.

The issue lies in -ownership-. Hasbro doesn't -own- most of the properties it makes toys of. Star Wars, Marvel, Sesame Street, Disney Princess Line, etc etc etc. All owned by Disney. So while they all combined to make another $4.18 billion for Hasbro in 2021, their value is significantly less because it's -just- the License, rather than outright owning the property.

And that's the half of an apple, indeed… but it's also rotten:

And they can't sell toys of a sci-fi franchise if they are too busy with Star Wars, one of the rockstars of the licences, and the superheroes by Marvel or DC. And the licences have got a time limit.

Welcome to ⅩⅩⅠ century, Rip Van Winkle! Star Wars is not a "rockstar of the licences" anymore. After what was done with it in the last decade or so, "monkey paw" would be a more apt metaphor. And since Disney tried long and hard to drop demand for their new products to levels slightly above barrels of fidget spinners, Hasbro was left holding the bag with all those unsold dolls akshun figures, thus re-painting and desperate re-labeling. If revenue dropped by half from 2016 to 2018 (see links here), where could it be by now?

WotC buying GW would be terrible. This industry needs more big, sustainable companies, not fewer.

But hilarious. Especially if they'd let the last team of "designers" from GW mess with other lines.
Buy D&D v. 5.124! In this version, Koeublubs (formerly kobolds) and rangers are made uber-cheese, sorcerers and aoeoaulves (formerly elves) are screwed over, you may want to buy some new miniatures (or don't worry, 19 minor versions later the Cheese Wheel will turn around). To play RPGA tournaments, you must use proprietary Wizard Workshop miniature paints, only $199.99 for a thimble!

 

[Morrus]

Welcome to ⅩⅩⅠ century, Rip Van Winkle! Star Wars is not a "rockstar of the licences" anymore. After what was done with it in the last decade or so, "monkey paw" would be a more apt metaphor. And since Disney tried long and hard to drop demand for their new products to levels slightly above barrels of fidget spinners, Hasbro was left holding the bag with all those unsold dolls akshun figures, thus re-painting and desperate re-labeling. If revenue dropped by half from 2016 to 2018 (see links here), where could it be by now?

Despite what an obviously objective website called "disneystarwarsisdumb dot wordpress dot com" (couldn't they even spring for a domain name?) might have to say about Star Wars, it is on of the biggest franchises on the planet, second only to the MCU. Also can we not link to articles ranting about "SJWs", eh?

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

If you see the webs of Hasbro, or Hasbro Pulse, you will find a lot of products about Star Wars or Marvel. Maybe Disney as brand is losing a lot of prestige, but SW and Marvel are still cash-cows. Can you say me any franchise more popular and famous than these today?

 

[TBeholder]

Despite what an obviously objective website called "disneystarwarsisdumb dot wordpress dot com"

“Objective”?

(couldn't they even spring for a domain name?)

IDK. Why would he? And yes, that’s just one dude, Itchy Bacca.

might have to say about Star Wars, it is on of the biggest franchises on the planet, second only to the MCU.

Is it?

Also can we not link to articles ranting about "SJWs", eh?

I suppose, it's possible. Likewise, it seems possible to check every linked web page for mentions of, for example, color pink. But, uh, what would be the point (in either case)? To have “elephant in the room” joke translated into the medium of performance art in a new way?

If you see the webs of Hasbro, or Hasbro Pulse, you will find a lot of products about Star Wars or Marvel.

Presumably. Including half a dozen of particularly ill-considered products Itchy mocked. What of it?
The existence of products does not make a franchise great. There also needs to be demand for them. It’s not obvious?
Let’s be more specific. I followed his link to “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Value Figures 4-inch Action Figure Assortment” of Luke, Chewbacca, Dart Vader and a stormtrooper in Hasbro web shop right now. It’s still there. Still for $3.

Maybe Disney as brand is losing a lot of prestige, but SW and Marvel are still cash-cows.

Are they?
After «I literally watched “Solo” SOLO», etc? After relevant part of Hasbro revenue dropped by half in 2 years (unless JediTempleArchives seriously messed up… do you see anything wrong with their analysis?).
Of course, that was 2018. A lot could happen between 2018 and 2022. Oh, they are still selling the original trilogy figures under a fig leaf of the Rise of Skywalker? Never mind.
Do you not see how damning it is? When Hasbro tries to sell pre-Disney stuff in a roundabout way compliant with the letter of their license… what does this tell us about demand for anything related to Disney Star Wars? Is it likely that all these shiny new products they can sell without such contortions (which is risky, in that Disney could demand they buy another license for old stuff) go like hot cakes?
Huh. It’s almost like those “Reylos” did not become a market as good as the people who were fans of Lucas, many of whom now have enough disposable income to indulge in such fancies (and whom Disney repeatedly insulted). Who could guess?

Can you say me any franchise more popular and famous than these today?

“Famous” is an achievement of those who launch franchises, not of those who take them over or sink them. Thus it’s simply misleading.
Popular? Seriously? How many instances of Princess Leia or Admiral Ackbar have you seen spammed around all over Internet? Probably a lot. Or even old Disney princesses?
Now let’s compare these to Disney Admiral Purplehair and the rest of them. Yeah. Does anyone post anything of Disney Star Wars like this, beyond the “shippers” posting their pick of characters to heavily breathe over, or occasional 3D model?
Maybe there is something popular from the latest Marvel. I have seen only occasional mockery of a few pratfalls and replacement characters (mostly on imageboards). And even then, very little. I didn’t see Marvel equivalent of Itchy Bacca yet, either. Maybe there is someone. But so far the signs point to “almost nobody gives a damn anymore”. Did you observe anything else?
Now, how about… Those annoying ponies? Harry Pot ter? Spongebob Sillypants? Link (from Zelda)? Sonic the edgehog?
Or characters and scenes from half a dozen of the most popular anime series at any time? DragonballZ or whatever. Mainstream shonens (which are bad by default, as Kukuruyo put it). Or good old Sailor Moon. Granted, most of those were and are popular only with early-teens. But we would be comparing them to “Reylos” (at best), so there’s also that.
Even Doomguy comics has more evidence of being popular than Disney Star Wars or whatever Marvel does these days. “This means your guts are huge!” Perhaps you could tell me what quotes from The Last Jedi are making rounds as much as this? If it’s supposedly popular?

 

[Waller]

Is it?

yes