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.

 

[Nikosandros]

I won't expect that one, based on how it can kill engagement by more casual players, driving them out of D&DB, and back to paper character sheets.

Well, I hope that you're right and I'm wrong

 

[TheSword]

To my mind if I was WOC I’d have a two tier service for D&D Beyond.

A free platform that included the very basic SRD (one subclass for each class etc) and the basic visual package, character sheet and a few starter tokens.

Then a subscription service that included a catalogue of maps set of tokens, and a catalogue of maps and most importantly access to the compendium for all rules elements of the game released to date, spells, monsters etc.

Each month another token set and another half dozen maps get added to the catalogue.

Adventure modules are totally separate and are bought on a case by case basis.

If a person stops their subscription they lose access for the compendium and the back catalogue of maps. BUT importantly they get to keep access to any maps, tokens and rules that were added during their time as a subscriber. That encourages folks to stay with the subscription because it has long term value and isn’t just paying for license to use.

Maps and tokens are jpeg format or png so easily portable and have long term value.

Syrinscape used this model and as a customer I was very happy with it.

 

[Oofta]

It sounds like maybe you are approaching this discussion from a mostly emotional aspect.

If you are getting overwhelmed by negativity maybe engaging in online debates isn't a healthy use of your time.

I'm hearing most people say "I wonder if there is a snake down that path because last time I walked down one like it someone got bit." not "If we go down that path we all will be killed by snakes".

The reason people avoid snakes is that snake bites can be dangerous, even deadly. But in reality most snakes are harmless. Some people have been saying things more along the line of "every time anyone walks down this path they get eaten by a bear". Except that it's an entirely different path and we're driving a car.

 

[Velderan]

If a person stops their subscription they lose access for the compendium and the back catalogue of maps. BUT importantly they get to keep access to any maps, tokens and rules that were added during their time as a subscriber. That encourages folks to stay with the subscription because it has long term value and isn’t just paying for license to use.

I think if they went that route (and I do think we'll get something similar to that), you'd lose access to anything added as a result of the subscription if you cancel. That provides much more incentive to keep your subscription going. Using PlayStation Plus as an example, I haven't used my PlayStation Plus subscription in over a year but cancelling would cost me years of free games added to my library. It's probably not worth it for me to keep paying, but figuring out what I might lose is a hassle I can't be bothered to deal with so I just keep the subscription going to avoid dealing with it.

Edit: The current DDB subscription monthly bonuses would not remain on your account if you cancel your subscription per the FAQ.

If I unsubscribe, do I get to keep these benefits?​

No, the benefits will be removed if you unsubscribe.

 

[Micah Sweet]

In my opinion; The repeated referencing of the single "under monetized" quote is a red herring - distracting from what the real discussion should be about.

The real talking point is when she goes on to say the following* after referencing the buyout of D&DBeyond:

Miss Williams At 34:08 in: Hasbro, Inc. Webinar


Then put it in the context of the upcoming OneVTT, and the two recent hires that are in charge of all things digital and D&D: Winnager's replacement, Kyle Brink's whole working life is essentially digital gaming. Tim Fields, WotC's Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Gaming. Is of a similar background. With an emphasis on mobile games.

So taken as a whole, when Miss Williams says that taking D&D (The RPG itself) digital will help them to:

"...unlock the type of recurrent spending you see in digital games, where more than 70% of revenue in digital games comes post-sale."...

"...The speed of digital means that we are able to expand from what is essentially a yearly book publishing model, to a reoccurring spending environment, ..."

What exactly do people think that she is referring to?

*Credit where credit is due; Her corporate-speak game is absolutely on point.

Oh, I actually agree. But it isn't concrete, which makes everyone's ideas about it speculation.

 

[darjr]

Look. If WotC achieves what they want then the hobby is small potatoes compared to a possible cinematic universe.

A lot of this/our focus on the game, weather in DnDBeyond/vtts or in text is, at least somewhat, myopic in reference to the chat.

Their planning for that, and the fret about the game or hobby needs to be looked at as like Marvel Comic Books in the presence of the larger MCU.

So any bit of verbiage doesn’t necessarily mean it’s about the ttrpg or hobby.

Actual video games are part of it as well.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Bawhahaha, because modern Executives are such great long term thinkers who put company and brand over short term self interest/s

Executives burn brands and companies all the time for a short term surge of profits because they know they will have moved on before any meaningful fall out with a nice golden parachute.

Okay, name 20 examples in the last decade.

If it happens “all the time”, this should be quite easy.

Except it doesn’t happen all the time, because in real life the bloodsucking leeches of society tend not to be complete abject fools.

 

[nevin]

And if each user spends an average of $100 on D&D Beyond (subscription fee + additional products)?

You do the math.

Based on the comment after this about being undermonetized, you can bet they are looking at ways to get as much money from that registered userbase. Even an increase of $10 per user would be huge. Sadly, I see a bunch of microtransactions coming.

What do you think all those dice and character sheet themes are. That ship has sailed and the user base is being slowly introduced to the idea

 

[Zardnaar]

Yeah. Now, guess what? D&DB already has microtransactions.

So, you seem to be scared of a future that's already been here for a couple years now.

Still easy to understand why people would care eg microtransactions get worse.

I've dropped out of subscription based games as grindy became worse along with more microtransactions, pay to win, and loot boxes get added or worse.

Or my favorite basic game features involving functionality requiring money.

Seen it in other formats with similar language used.

I don't use D&DB but basically understand said concern and it's silly arguing over it as neither side knows what's coming down the pipeline.

 

[Oofta]

Still easy to understand why people would care eg microtransactions get worse.

I've dropped out of subscription based games as grindy became worse along with mmore microtransactions, pay to win, and loot boxes get added or worse.

Or my favorite basic game features requiring money.

Seen it in other formats with similar language used.

I don't use D&DB but basically understand said concern and it's silly arguing over it as neither side knows what's coming down the pipeline.

DDB currently allows you to by just certain aspects of books such as specific monsters and spells. You can also buy custom dice and cool character sheet backgrounds. I like that they offer the monsters and spells, I don't ever bother with the custom dice or character sheet backgrounds.

I can't imagine what else they could do that would be significantly different. If they really do start charging significantly more for me to use it I'll just cancel and dig up my old spreadsheet I used to use to record my PCs. On the VTT side of things we don't know what will happen of course but I can't imagine it being anything other than visual assets like all the VTTs do now.