Leon Barillaro Joins Wizards of the Coast as D&D Designer

Leon Barillaro has also joined Wizards of the Coast as part of the D&D design team. As announced on their social media page, Barillaro is an experienced RPG designer with numerous third-party supplements on DMs Guild. They have design credits with MCDM, Renegade Games Studios, and EN Publishing as well. Per their Linkedin, Barillaro is working as a game designer for the D&D team.

Barillaro joins James Haeck as a new employee at Wizards of the Coast, with Justice Arman also receiving a recent promotion within the company as well. All three have similar resumes, having built up their resumes on DMs Guild material and third-party work before hopping over to join Wizards of the Coast in an official capacity.

 

[darjr]

Leon Barillaro (they/them) joins Wizards of the Coast.

I'm starting 2026 by taking a level in Wizard and joining the Dungeons & Dragons game design team.


Collaborative storytelling has been my entire life since I was small. In particular, Dungeons & Dragons has been more or less the game that has defined my adulthood. It has enriched my life in so many ways and helped me forge meaningful relationships and make unforgettable memories. I could not be more excited to become a steward for the game that has meant so much to me, to help others tell their stories like D&D has helped me tell mine.


Catch you at the table.[\callout]

https://bsky.app/profile/barilleon.com%2Fpost%2F3mbox5mqnps2r

 

[darjr]

I like the hiring as a holiday thing much more.

 

[Seramus]

I, too, would hire a dragon.

 

[TerraDave]

Is this three new hires? I've lost track.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I can't judge because I don't know their work enoughly but this is not very normal. We know nothing about the next releases, only the classical speculations based in UA articles. There is a roadmap for M:tG 2026 but not for D&D. And now WotC is hiring new staff. If a company is making money and growing then hiring more people is normal, but I suspect something is happening behind the curtains.

 

[Morrus]

I see they’re continuing to hire people who worked for EN Publishing. James Haeck and now Leon Barillaro!

 

[Uta-napishti]

Congratulations Leon! Looks like a good mix of folks joining the team.

 

[bedir than]

Is this three new hires? I've lost track.

two hires and a promotion, so far

 

[Morrus]

two hires and a promotion, so far

That we know of. Typically you don’t get to hear about all the staff changes at large companies.