WotC Hasbro Gaming Down 17% But D&D Remains 'Bright Spot'

ICv2 reports on Hasbro's latest quarterly report, noting that "Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons were two bright spots in Hasbro’s Q3, an otherwise tough quarter with sales and earnings both hit by actual and threatened tariffs on goods from China".

Other notes from ICv2:

• Hasbro Gaming, which does not include franchise brands Monopoly and Magic: The Gathering, was down 17%
• Total gaming sales, including Magic and Monopoly, were roughly flat, a big change from the 26% growth in Q2
• WotC has close to a dozen [digital] games in development for delivery over the next five to six years
• Hasbro believes that WotC sales can be doubled over the next five years, “…as we’ve accomplished over the past five years.”

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

In the business world you shouldn't put all the eggs in only one basket.

The d20 system if perfect for the Sword & Sorcery or epic fantasy genre, but it is not yet enough ready for other genres. There is not a right balance of power if PCs are in a survival horror or in a anti-monster crusade. Let's set as example the videogames Dead Space, System Shock, Resident Evil or The Evil Within. If the players are without ammo or a good weapon, the monsters are a true nightmare and the survival it is a true challenge, but if the PCs wear an armored exo-suit like Iron Man or in the cartoon Exo-squads then the monsters are walking targets to get free XPs. In the d20 system characters from Street Fighters or Mortal Kombat couldn't face easily to an Overwatch team, or Vault Hunters from Borderlands saga, or another one-man-army action hero as Duke Nuke.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

In the business world you shouldn't put all the eggs in only one basket.

WotC definitely does NOT have all their eggs in one basket.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I don't talk about "it it work, why to change it?" but add a "spin-off" to play different genres: superheroes, urban dark fantasy/epic gothic-punk or military fiction. This second line could be used for adaptations of (famous) franchises from comics, videogames, novels or movies. Let's imagine a Marvel Superheroes d20.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

It's all about ROI (Return on Investment). While what you suggest might earn money, would it earn enough money to justify taking resources from one pot and putting into that one? In the case of D&D, probably not. Oh, I don't doubt that it would make money. Just not enough money to justify the reallocation of such things.

And that's what my MBA boiled down to: Not making money but making enough money to justify the expenditure of resources on project a rather than project b.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Not every product has to positioned as entry-level.

Nope, put you can't expect a product focused on a niche market to match the sales figures of a product with broader appeal.

 

[gyor]

Pathfinder didn't start being a big fish. And if the SRD is used for a sleeping-hit videogame it can become a famous franchise. Starfinder could be the most sold sci-fi RPG franchise whose origin isn't movie, teleserie, wargame or videogame.

I am afraid you don't understand me really. I don't talk about to change D&D but to publish a second line where some changes would be allowed. The first and main line wouldn't be altered. This would be for adaptations of no-sword&sorcery franchises from movies, novels, comics or videogames. What if WotC gets the rights to publish a new Marvel Superheroes but d20 system isn't ready yet?

Also I suggest to create a open licence world like Teath in 7th Sea. This fantasy-reality-counterpart could be used, and altered, by 3rd Party publishers, and time-travelers could allow future retcons if these are necessary.

Couldn't they just do a Sci Fi campaign setting for 5e with optional rules?

 

[gyor]

I know there's been SW RPGs back to 87.

They're usually in 2nd or 3rd place though.

It's probably the only non D&D RPG that will be reasonably popular year in year out.

More people are familiar with Star Wars than gate.

Stargate the trope is going through the Stargate.

There's probably more stories you can tell in Star Wars though. Empire/rebels, underworld, pilot, gun slingers, explorers Jedi.

Anyone can grab a spaceship.

Access to a gate is rare same as a starship in Stargate. It's harder to freelance I suppose. You're limited to going through the gates and if you have a starship it negates the point of the gates to some extent (it's quicker I suppose).

Stargate could be fun though so gonna keep an eye on it. Slightly different genre if I had to run it through the gate you go.

Access to stargates is not rare and while earth doesn't have many spaces yet, but in general star ships aren't that rare and puddle jumpers and death gliders can use stargates.

And you can tell way, way more stories with Stargate, then Star Wars, because there really is only one, repetetive, boring story to Star Wars.

 

[5atbu]

Couldn't they just do a Sci Fi campaign setting for 5e with optional rules?

Yes.
Like Eberron is noir magepunk setting.

 

[Morrus]

Nope, put you can't expect a product focused on a niche market to match the sales figures of a product with broader appeal.

I’ve never suggested such a thing. I was merely responding to the assertion that complexity was a significant flaw.

 

[Mistwell]

I wouldn't mind WOTC bringing back Star Frontiers. And Marvel Super Heroes. And Mutants and Masterminds. And Top Secret. And Indiana Jones. And Boot Hill.