WotC Forbes’ Brett Knight visits Wizards of the Coast.

Brett Knight sits down with Cynthia Williams and talks about the future of the company with Dungeons and Dragons.

As Cynthia Williams settles into her chair atop a bearskin rug, three dragons stand watchful guard over her shoulder—each no more than a foot or so tall but no less fearsome, with plastic flames pouring from one’s mouth. The glass cases lining the room are filled with more horrible creatures, shrunken down in plastic miniature: ogres and devils and hobgoblins. Drawers pull out to reveal hundreds of polyhedral dice, with 10, 12 or 20 sides. Where a jumble of letters adorns the wall outside, the push of a button illuminates a hidden message: “Those granted entry shall be rewarded.”

Brett Knight mentions several things we already know, that D&D sales are growing rapidly among a younger audience.

Arpiné Kocharyan, a UBS analyst, estimates that D&D is now responsible for $100 million to $150 million in annual revenue ... around 40% of D&D players are now female ... 24% of D&D players are between 20 and 24 years old ... revenue up a reported 35% in 2020 from 2019 and more introductory D&D products sold in 2021 than when they were released in 2014 ...

They discuss the opportunity to grow via the VTT and DnDBeyond and marketing and selling digital things, about doing movies and TV, etc. Brett includes some history and quotes from the D&D historian Petersen, from Tim Kask, and the Hasbro CEO, Chris Cox.

I'm not sure how much is new in it, it does seem rather light for folks that have been reading about D&D and Wizards, but it's nice to see Cynthia Williams get some press. Here's hoping to hearing more from her.

Could Dungeons & Dragons Be The Next Harry Potter? Stranger Things Have Happened

As it nears 50 years old, the role-playing game is more popular than ever—and Hasbro is looking to cash in by moving its wizards and warriors to TV, movies, game consoles and even virtual tabletops.

www.forbes.com

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

yes trees grow but evergreen means the product stays in print (more or less) as is, not whole sale changes like we are seeing for 1D&D

Well we don’t know what ‘24 D&D will be yet. So far it seems pretty minor changes to me. If I can use the ‘14 MM and the ‘14-‘23 adventure as is (which I believe will be the case), then it is for all intents and purposes “evergreen.”

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Well we don’t know what ‘24 D&D will be yet. So far it seems pretty minor changes to me. If I can use the ‘14 MM and the ‘14-‘23 adventure as is (which I believe will be the case), then it is for all intents and purposes “evergreen.”

If I bring a current playtest bard back in time to 2014 most DMs would laugh me away from there table. I bet that come 2024,2025ish people are not going to let people play with the 2014 PHB without modification, and as of right now you would be remaking the character not adjusting it... but yeah it seems (so far) that Curse of Strahd or Neverwinter Adventures will work on the DM side with some minor work

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

If I bring a current playtest bard back in time to 2014 most DMs would laugh me away from there table. I bet that come 2024,2025ish people are not going to let people play with the 2014 PHB without modification, and as of right now you would be remaking the character not adjusting it... but yeah it seems (so far) that Curse of Strahd or Neverwinter Adventures will work on the DM side with some minor work

You notice I said adventures and MM? No mention of PHB. Though i still think it is likely you can use both, we will have to wait and see.

 

[Parmandur]

I've said before I think Superhero movies are slowly going to go the way of the Western, there will be some that do very well, and there are still a lot of Superhero movies and TV shows to come, increasingly it's popularity will wane,leaving the door open to the next big thing, like the fall of the transformers Bayverse made space for Superheroes.

I think folks are hungry for something different, something that in some ways is a purer form of escapism not set on modern day earth, and not just D&D settings like the Forgotten Realms, but simular fantasy fair like the upcoming Red Sonya movie, I'm hearing that behind the scenes deals are being made for movie & TV adaptions for a lot of Table Top RPGs. I know of Warhammer & Scion, but it sounded like a lot more was in the works.

So D&D, Warhammer, Scion, World of Darkness, and possibly D&D offshoots like Golorian, Midguard, etc... Could end up having success movie and TV adaptions. Its going to be the next big thing.

I don't think superhero film and TV is remotely in jeopardy.

 

[Parmandur]

Well we don’t know what ‘24 D&D will be yet. So far it seems pretty minor changes to me. If I can use the ‘14 MM and the ‘14-‘23 adventure as is (which I believe will be the case), then it is for all intents and purposes “evergreen.”

Monopoly is evergreen, but it still goes through rules edition changes over time. Slowly, organically.

 

[TerraDave]

@TerraDave

That was the articles author not WotC, as far as I can tell.

Sure---"in what would equate to a sixth edition"--is from the author of a legit publication who has done his research, including meeting the president of WotC.

Its a source.

 

[bedir than]

Sure---"in what would equate to a sixth edition"--is from the author of a legit publication who has done his research, including meeting the president of WotC.

Its a source.

That's not how sourcing works.

 

[TerraDave]

That's not how sourcing works.

thanks, thats good to know.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

You notice I said adventures and MM? No mention of PHB. Though i still think it is likely you can use both, we will have to wait and see.

I noticed and even mentioned it in the answer

 

[GMforPowergamers]

That's not how sourcing works.

it is a source showing that people who understand business' see it