Ginny Di interviews WotC's Kyle Brink

Continuing the D&D executive producer's interview tour, gaming influencer Ginny Di asks a WotC's Kyle Brink about the OGL and other things.

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[GreyLord]

Considering Hasbro considers a core brand to be 50 million… that’s not small. And it’s been getting mentioned on earnings calls for about 6 years now.

I think that was 15 years ago. I think that the "core" brand idea of what amount that should amount to may have gone up somewhat.

 

[Haplo781]

I think that was 15 years ago. I think that the "core" brand idea of what amount that should amount to may have gone up somewhat.

Literally 10x that

 

[mamba]

Literally 10x that

wait, a core brand is now 500M? D&D is about 150M, so that does not add up

 

[Haplo781]

wait, a core brand is now 500M? D&D is about 150M, so that does not add up

That's the goal by like 2026. Hence the insane monetization plans.

 

[OB1]

Anyone know if Linda Codega's interview with Kyle Brink is still happening or when we might see/read it?

 

[mamba]

That's the goal by like 2026. Hence the insane monetization plans.

did not realize they increased the threshold that much, I thought that was just a crazy plan for D&D. No idea how they want to accomplish that for their other core brands either, unless they already are significantly closer to 500M to begin with

 

[GreyLord]

did not realize they increased the threshold that much, I thought that was just a crazy plan for D&D. No idea how they want to accomplish that for their other core brands either, unless they already are significantly closer to 500M to begin with

Couple ways for it to go.

For example, one idea I can think of right off the top of my head...

10 million users.

10 million users at an average of $5 a month = $50 million a month

$50 million a month x 12 = $600 million

 

[mamba]

Couple ways for it to go.

For example, one idea I can think of right off the top of my head...

10 million users.

10 million users at an average of $5 a month = $50 million a month

$50 million a month x 12 = $600 million

yeah, I was wondering about other core brands, the D&D path to this seems pretty clear, DDB and the new VTT via subscriptions and microtransactions.

Not sure what the other core brands are (apart from MtG) or how much they make today, but I have a hard time seeing e.g. Monopoly being able to accomplish such a growth.
I also am not sure I agree with the goal being revenue based. If I have one brand with a revenue of 1B and a profit of 20M, and one with 150M revenue but 50M profit, I am much more interested in the second. From what I hear most of Hasbro falls into the first group, from a profitability perspective while only MtG and D&D are in the second. So those two I would always keep as core brands for that reason alone.

 

[Haplo781]

Couple ways for it to go.

For example, one idea I can think of right off the top of my head...

10 million users.

10 million users at an average of $5 a month = $50 million a month

$50 million a month x 12 = $600 million

 

[bedir than]

yeah, I was wondering about other core brands, the D&D path to this seems pretty clear, DDB and the new VTT via subscriptions and microtransactions.

Not sure what the other core brand are (apart from MtG) or how much they make today, but I have a hard time seeing e.g. Monopoly being able to accomplish such a growth.
I also am not sure I agree with the goal being revenue based. If I have one brand with a revenue of 1B and a profit of 20M, and one with 150M revenue but 50M profit, I am much more interested in the second. From what I hear most of Hasbro falls into the first group, from a profitability perspective while only MtG and D&D are in the second. So those two I would always keep as core brands for that reason alone.

Transformers is at nearly a billion a year already. They do it mostly through movies and cartoons.

 

[teitan]

did not realize they increased the threshold that much, I thought that was just a crazy plan for D&D. No idea how they want to accomplish that for their other core brands either, unless they already are significantly closer to 500M to begin with

None of them are that high. Transformers but they let them include things that they won't include for D&D.

 

[teitan]

I don't take this video seriously at all. It's thin speculation.

 

[BigZebra]

I don't take this video seriously at all. It's thin speculation.

Yeah - terrible video.

 

[Umbran]

That's the goal by like 2026. Hence the insane monetization plans.

That assertion really calls for a reliable citation.

 

[Umbran]

Transformers is at nearly a billion a year already. They do it mostly through movies and cartoons.

While Transformers may pull in a billion a year (that seems high - I'd expect that only when they have a successful movie out), the revenue for media isn't all Hasbro cash - there's generally a studio between Hasbro and that full revenue.

 

[darjr]

While Transformers may pull in a billion a year (that seems high - I'd expect that only when they have a successful movie out), the revenue for media isn't all Hasbro cash - there's generally a studio between Hasbro and that full revenue.

And actors and directors etc.

 

[Umbran]

And actors and directors etc.

No studio is doing Transformers at cost and passing the money to Hasbro. The studio licenses the property, pays its license fees, and keeps the rest for actors, directors, and itself.

 

[darjr]

No studio is doing Transformers at cost. There's actors, directors, and the studio itself.

That’s what I said?

 

[Umbran]

That’s what I said?

You seemed to mention the costs of production, but seemed to leave out that there's another company in the middle that expects to make outright profit beyond those costs.

 

[bedir than]

While Transformers may pull in a billion a year (that seems high - I'd expect that only when they have a successful movie out), the revenue for media isn't all Hasbro cash - there's generally a studio between Hasbro and that full revenue.

There was no live action movie last year and still the Hasbro end of year meeting said Transformers is closest to being a billion dollar brand after MtG.