Hasbro Opens New Wizards of the Coast Video Game Studio in Montreal to Support D&D Franchise

Hasbro has announced a new video game studio in Montreal, with a new focus on supporting D&D video games. The new studio, called Wizards of the Coast Studios Inc. will focus on developing new content for the Dungeons & Dragons franchise and expanding Hasbro's lineup of digital games. The studio is expected to support 200 jobs. Dan Ayoub, the head of the D&D franchise, will also run the new studio. Ayoub, you may recall, has a long pedigree in video game development.

The new studio will not replace Invoke Studios, Hasbro's other studio located in Montreal. The new office for Wizards of the Coast Studios Inc. will be located next to Invoke Studios.

Hasbro has big aspirations for expanding the D&D franchise via video games. Several D&D video games are in development at third party studios and now we're seeing an in-house expansion of the D&D digital portfolio. One obvious speculation is that the new studio will work on a Baldur's Gate 4, which Hasbro has promised will eventually be released following the mammoth success of Baldur's Gate 3.

 

[Parmandur]

Sure, but if WotC is going to flush a quarter of a billion dollars, I would at least like some high quality, diverse D&D titles out of it as opposed to a video game that will never be released.

But if they are already maximizing their ROI on the TTRPG (which they seem to be doing, we are talking more than a product every 2 months on average in 2024-2025, q
13 major products in 24 months), why would they? They already have a large internal team paid top dollar for the industry working on a regular release rhythm.

They could make more, but why would they?

 

[Umbran]

Mod Note:
Looking through the past couple of pages, I see folks getting a bit short and snarky with each other.

I recommend folks cool the heck down, before someone says something truly regrettable.

Also, this thread is not about Quebec.

 

[Brendan Byrd]

< idle speculation >
I wonder to what extent the cost of electricity was a part of the decision...
< /idle speculation >

 

[Zardnaar]

Huh, in related news Starbreeze has cancelled development of their D&D project:

Payday developer Starbreeze cancels Dungeons and Dragons project to focus on its flagship franchise, two years after it was announced

Starbreeze has cancelled its Dungeons and Dragons project to focus on its flagship Payday franchise.

www.eurogamer.net

So there's no net change in number of D&D video games in the works. Wonder how much this factored into rolling up a new internal studio...

Shocked and stunned.

 

[mamba]

They could make more, but why would they?

If this is a real release for 2026, then maybe they really shouldn't make more

 

[Parmandur]

If this is a real release for 2026, then maybe they really shouldn't make more

View attachment 418765

It's a licensed release from a third party, but this is awesome and frankly exactly what WotC should be doing.

 

[Dire Bare]

It's a licensed release from a third party, but this is awesome and frankly exactly what WotC should be doing.

Yup. I fail to see the problem with D&D Crochet. It's not bumping a game book off the schedule, and it's going to sell very well, in my expectation. But you know, we gotta complain about something!

 

[TheAlkaizer]

The issue with Montreal is the need for workers to speak French. I speak French well (I used to be fluently bilingual to the point where I thought in French when I spoke it but not I am just bilingual). This requirement is not just that it is a French place, it is required by law including the requirement to send your kids to French schools and it is almost impossible to get healthcare delivered in any language than French. Taxes are also quite high.

The workers do not need to speak French. A sizeable portion of my colleagues moved here from the US or the rest or Canada and do not speak a word of french. At least a third of my interactions with industry peers is entirely in English.

They might need to learn French if they want to immigrate down the line through Quebec, but work visas absolutely do not require French.

The video game industry there is in a downdraft so I am sure they can pick up staff locally for a while. But they will have issues getting people to move there.

That's the thing, they don't need to. There's a ton of very qualified workers looking for work right now.

The ecosystem and the support between different game companies is also very high.

 

[mamba]

It's a licensed release from a third party, but this is awesome and frankly exactly what WotC should be doing.

Flashbacks to TSR buying a needlework company...

As a licensed product fine, why not, apparently anything goes anyway (it's certainly no worse than beer or gambling, ...). As an actual WotC product it would show a distinct lack of ideas to add to whatever their release schedule is

 

[Reynard]

I don't particularly like D&D being a lifestyle brand -- but not because it is D&D. I just don't like "lifestyle brands" in general. No logo should be a major part of ones personality. But that's just preference. I don't care if other people embrace D&D as a lifestyle brand, or if (especially small and indie) companies make money off it.

I do believe that D&D would be better if it were controlled by a company that was not publicly traded, though.