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.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Now I wonder if D&D Beyond could be used to publish webcomics and fiction. It would be interesting if some webcomic was a non-D&D licence, for example "Fortnite: Save the World".

Maybe in the next year Hasbro acquires some comic publisher, and after they would talk with some company for some licence, maybe even IPs by WarnerDiscovery and Disney.

 

[darjr]

Not really. This is what a lot of folks feared when they took over DDB. They will micro transaction it as much as possible.

They have also, effectively, cut out Amazon and other discounters as well as the FLGS as you can now buy the books at full price with an extra fee to get the digital version. It just makes sense to buy the books direct.

how is any of that to be feared?

 

[Belen]

how is any of that to be feared?

Microtransactions? They tend to be a negative experience in most games.

As for the books, I am happy with it; however, the FLGS has often been a positive part of the community by giving gamers a place to gather, meet, and find like-minded people as well as serve as a entry point into gaming. Unless Hasbro finds a method to allow them to bring in revenue to account for lost book sales, then they will continue to decline.

 

[darjr]

Microtransactions? They tend to be a negative experience in most games.

As for the books, I am happy with it; however, the FLGS has often been a positive part of the community by giving gamers a place to gather, meet, and find like-minded people as well as serve as a entry point into gaming. Unless Hasbro finds a method to allow them to bring in revenue to account for lost book sales, then they will continue to decline.

Please read the rest of the thread.

They already have "micro transactions" and it hasn't tanked D&D yet.

 

[gametaku]

The OGL is being updated in early 2023 and updated SRD will be created for One D&D.

OGLs, SRDs, & One D&D

We love the interest and passion the community has for D&D. We love D&D, too. So, when we see the D&D community concerned by rumors and misu...

www.dndbeyond.com

 

[darjr]

OGL - WotC Announces OGL 1.1 -- Revised Terms, Royalties, and Annual Revenue Reporting

There has been a lot of speculation recently about WotC's plans regarding the Open Gaming License and the upcoming One D&D. Today, WotC shared some information. In short, they will be producing a new Open Gaming License (note that the previous OGL 1.0a will still exist, and can still be used)...

www.enworld.org

 

[Belen]

Please read the rest of the thread.

They already have "micro transactions" and it hasn't tanked D&D yet.

I did read the thread. The current microtransactions can get a lot worse. You can ignore them currently but the CEO expressly wants to increase digital transactions and further monetize players. I can see them removing the ability to share the books or requiring players to pay a fee to join a campaign with access to the books.

 

[Oofta]

I did read the thread. The current microtransactions can get a lot worse. You can ignore them currently but the CEO expressly wants to increase digital transactions and further monetize players. I can see them removing the ability to share the books or requiring players to pay a fee to join a campaign with access to the books.

Then I'll go back to my comment from long, long ago. How? What can they do that will make much of a difference? They aren't going to sell transactions that grant a 20 on their next die roll, or if they do DMs will just ban it. If they sell cosmetic bling, it doesn't affect the actual game.

Selling visual effects is cool. Some people are into fancy dice and custom minis. They show them off to their friends at the table, everyone oohs and aahs for a moment and then we go on to play the game. The only people that see or care about those cool dice or custom mini are the other 5-7 people sitting at the table. If someone starts belittling someone at my table for not having the latest and greatest mini, they won't be a player long if they persist. If someone has a flametongue sword and their mini's sword is on fire? Cool. Doesn't change the game one iota.

So I'll ask the same thing I asked before and never got an answer to. What, specifically, can they do that will harm the game?

 

[Belen]

Then I'll go back to my comment from long, long ago. How? What can they do that will make much of a difference? They aren't going to sell transactions that grant a 20 on their next die roll, or if they do DMs will just ban it. If they sell cosmetic bling, it doesn't affect the actual game.

Selling visual effects is cool. Some people are into fancy dice and custom minis. They show them off to their friends at the table, everyone oohs and aahs for a moment and then we go on to play the game. The only people that see or care about those cool dice or custom mini are the other 5-7 people sitting at the table. If someone starts belittling someone at my table for not having the latest and greatest mini, they won't be a player long if they persist. If someone has a flametongue sword and their mini's sword is on fire? Cool. Doesn't change the game one iota.

So I'll ask the same thing I asked before and never got an answer to. What, specifically, can they do that will harm the game?

I said it in my post. I game with a number of people that cannot afford to spend money on VTT's or paying to access the campaign. This affects who can play in my games if I use DDB.

 

[Oofta]

I said it in my post. I game with a number of people that cannot afford to spend money on VTT's or paying to access the campaign. This affects who can play in my games if I use DDB.

All VTTs charge for extras now. There's also no way WOTC can stop people from using other VTTs to play the game. They could let agreements with VTTs that enable integration with DDB and other official material expire I suppose but I doubt they will.

Its a competitive market, not a monopoly.