WotC Hasbro's CEO Reports OGL-Related D&D Beyond Cancellations Had Minimal Impact

Hasbro held a quarterly earnings call recently in which CEO Chris Cocks (who formerly ran WotC before being promoted) indicated that the OGL controversy had a "comparatively minor" impact on D&D's revenue due to D&D Beyond subscription cancellations. He also noted that D&D grew by 20% in 2022 (Magic: the Gathering revenues grew by an astonishing 40% in Quarter 4!)

WotC as a whole was up 22% in Q4 2022.

Lastly, on D&D, we misfired on updating our Open Gaming License, a key vehicle for creators to share or commercialize their D&D inspired content. Our best practice is to work collaboratively with our community, gather feedback, and build experiences that inspire players and creators alike - it's how we make our games among the best in the industry. We have since course corrected and are delivering a strong outcome for the community and game.

 

[darjr]

@Morrus

Also there is this bit.

 

[Retreater]

@Morrus

Also there is this bit.

View attachment 275733

And this is why I am not getting back on the train.

 

[Charlaquin]

@Morrus

Also there is this bit.

View attachment 275733

Not too surprising, honestly. It hurt their public image far more than their actual bottom-line.

And this is why I am not getting back on the train.

This doesn’t make sense to me. I mean, if you don’t want to support WotC any more, by all means, more power to you. But the fact that they course-corrected despite the cancellations not having a huge financial impact on them seems like an odd reason to me. I would think losing trust in them would be the main reason.

 

[darjr]

Not too surprising, honestly. It hurt their public image far more than their actual bottom-line.

This doesn’t make sense to me. I mean, if you don’t want to support WotC any more, by all means, more power to you. But the fact that they course-corrected despite the cancellations not having a huge financial impact on them seems like an odd reason to me. I would think losing trust in them would be the main reason.

Well it is odd to talk about something happening in 2023 in this thing about fourth quarter and year 2022.

 

[MoonSong]

Well it is odd to talk about something happening in 2023 in this thing about fourth quarter and year 2022.

That is how they coubt their fiscal years

 

[darjr]

That is how they coubt their fiscal years

Wait then what does this mean? That date is repeated several times as year end and quarter end.

 

[Charlaquin]

That is how they coubt their fiscal years

Yes, this.

 

[darjr]

Yes, this.

“Quarter ended Dec 26, 2022”?

 

[Charlaquin]

Wait then what does this mean? That date is repeated several times as year end and quarter end.

Fiscal years don’t generally line up with calendar years. For example, the US government’s fiscal year runs from October to September instead of January to December.