WotC Hasbro Rejects Plan to Spin Off Wizards of the Coast

[CleverNickName]

True, and if they change their mind, they could easily. The rumblings are that they are doing that with digital tools, so time wil tell.

In the mean time, they have a new D&D Clue, Betrayal in Baldur's Gate, the Adventure Begins game, and so on.

I tell ya, when the movie marketing ramps up, Hasbro will use the opportunity to go full Star Wars or marvel with the IP. Within a year.

Yeah, I'm curious how that is going to shake out. Star Wars is a registered trademark owned by Disney...aren't Disney toys and merch all manufactured and distributed by Mattel Inc., not Hasbro?

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, I'm curious how that is going to shake out. Star Wars is a registered trademark owned by Disney. And Disney toys and merch are manufactured and distributed by Mattel Inc., not Hasbro.

They are now, but historically Hasbro was involved. A quick Google shows that some Star Wars stuff is still Hasbro. Indeed, the desire to have "their own" internal IP similar to Star Wars has been a big driver at Hasbro for a couple decades now, since George Lucas got the toy rights back and then started making the Prequels.

Point is, Hasbro is going to go all out with a major theatrical release: good or bad, the merchandising will be intense.

 

[Rabulias]

I'm not saying I want to see WotC producing a Transformers rpg, but if they aren't going to pursue such synergies then there's really no reason for the two entities to be one.

I think it's because Hasbro says "We want to diversify our offerings to include RPG products. We don't have an in-house unit that makes RPGs, so let's buy this Wizards of the Coast outfit." I don't think they want to be responsible for a lot of RPGs, but they want to have a (big) share of the RPG market pie.

Devil's advocate here, it could reach the point where WizKids don't really need a relationship with D&D any more. WizKids could grow so big that they can produce their own line of fantasy miniatures, or maybe even their own game, without the D&D license and still sell very well to D&D players. And if Hasbro wanted in on the miniatures market that could be a problem.

Ah, WizKids making their own fantasy miniatures sounds nice at first, but they would miss out on all the sweet, sweet official D&D IP. Having the official stamp (plus being the only ones to be able to make minis of beholders, or Elminster, or Tiamat) could be worth it in the long run.

 

[Jer]

Devil's advocate here, it could reach the point where WizKids don't really need a relationship with D&D any more. WizKids could grow so big that they can produce their own line of fantasy miniatures, or maybe even their own game, without the D&D license and still sell very well to D&D players. And if Hasbro wanted in on the miniatures market that could be a problem.

If they hit that point and Hasbro wanted back into the mini market they could probably just buy WizKids like they did Wizards.

 

[MGibster]

Ah, WizKids making their own fantasy miniatures sounds nice at first, but they would miss out on all the sweet, sweet official D&D IP. Having the official stamp (plus being the only ones to be able to make minis of beholders, or Elminster, or Tiamat) could be worth it in the long run.

Sure. I imagine they're comfortable with the business arrangement now, but who knows what the future might hold? WotC might decide to go with a different company, D&D miniatures may lose popularity, and a myriad of other things could happen. It's tough to do market research on what is essentially a niche market at best. I wonder how valuable the D&D name is when it comes to selling miniatures.

 

[ersatzphil]

Devil's advocate here, it could reach the point where WizKids don't really need a relationship with D&D any more. WizKids could grow so big that they can produce their own line of fantasy miniatures, or maybe even their own game, without the D&D license and still sell very well to D&D players. And if Hasbro wanted in on the miniatures market that could be a problem.

That’s very much how Games Workshop got started, as I recall - the founders pulled a Vincent Adultman and convinced Gygax that they totally weren't just three college kids, and got the European distribution rights for D&D. They started making minis to go with the books, and eventually made their own game to go with the minis.

 

[Parmandur]

Sure. I imagine they're comfortable with the business arrangement now, but who knows what the future might hold? WotC might decide to go with a different company, D&D miniatures may lose popularity, and a myriad of other things could happen. It's tough to do market research on what is essentially a niche market at best. I wonder how valuable the D&D name is when it comes to selling miniatures.

I mean, they also do Pathfinder, don't they?

 

[MGibster]

I mean, they also do Pathfinder, don't they?

They do, and even though they actually make a decent number of them, the majority of their miniatures are generic fantasy. If they suddenly lost the rights to produce Pathfinder miniatures they wouldn't really have to pivot at all to stay in business. But I would imagine WizKids has some sort of plan to pivot in the event they part ways with WotC.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Really Hasbro's strategy is for the digital market, videogames, PDFs and maybe a virtual tabletop. Today Game Worksho worries more about making money with the licenced videogames than the miniatures. And the age of the 3D printers has arrived. That means if miniatures are too expensive, then fandom will want to use 3D printers instead. And the complete hobby was affected by the boom of RTS videogames, Starcraft and company. If you buy miniatures to be painted, then you don't need expensive brands, but a decent proxy would be enough.

* Why not Hasbro producing anything as Gormiti or Superthings? OK, a new project will be the Gobots, mini-transformers. Or their own version of collectable monster pets, as Pokemon or Digimon, but this would need a special D&D class as monster-tamer.

* I have said lots of times, maybe too many times, today the megacorporations' strategy is the multimedia brands, selling different type of (licenced) products.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Sorry for this little necromancy, but there is a new chapter in this f... soap-opera. (Can I say the Spanish word "fastidioso" what means "annoying")

Investors criticise Wizards of the Coast's new boss for possible criminal connections and Hasbro for WotC decision

Alta Fox links that company, Aterian, to claims it is run by criminals.

www.geeknative.com

When in a company somebody start to say that type of things, you should start to worry. They are toxic people in the best case and they can cause a lot of troubles and very bad vibes.

Maybe I have read too many conspirancy theories, but this seems somebody wants WotC to be under the control of other group, and the intentions aren't only to make money, as if they don't want Hasbro earned more influence in the culture for masses and underage market.