D&D General No, Hasbro Is Not Selling D&D

I wasn't going to comment on this rumour in article form--despite a 20-page-and-counting thread about it--but it seems some clarification is needed as it's all over social media and the usual click-bait YouTube channels.

First off, Dungeons & Dragons is not being sold. That's the short version.

WotC, including D&D, is Hasbro's most profitable division and, as many put it, it's 'golden goose'. Despite an article on Pandaily being entitled "Hasbro Seeks to Sell IP “DND” and Has Had Preliminary Contact with Tencent"--and much of which is a close copy of a recent YouTube video rumour--buried halfway down the article is the important paragraph:

A Tencent IEG (Interactive Entertainment Group) insider revealed that Tencent, represented by its overseas business department IEG Global, is in negotiations with the aim of acquiring a series of rights including the adaptation rights for electronic games such as DND.

That means they wish to license the D&D IP to make video games. WotC licenses the D&D IP all the time--that's why you see all those D&D lunchboxes and plushies and t-shirts and miniatures and foam dragon heads and, indeed, movies and video games. Licensing an IP is not buying an IP. Modiphius is licensing the Star Trek IP for their TTRPG; Modiphius hasn't bought Star Trek. I published the Judge Dredd TTRPG for a couple of years, but I didn't own the Judge Dredd IP.

Tencent, incidentally, owns 30% of Larian Studios, who made the recent Baldur's Gate 3 video game--under license, of course (Larian didn't buy D&D either). Tencent is a massive Chinese company known for venture capital, social media, mobile games, internet services, and more, and is one of the world's largest companies. Tencent Games is a division of the company. It has stakes in a lot of companies.

So what does WotC have to say? "We are not looking to sell our D&D IP". The following statement was sent to outlets who reached out for clarification:

We regularly talk to Tencent and enjoy multiple partnerships with them across a number of our IPs. We don't make a habit of commenting on internet rumors, but to be clear: we are not looking to sell our D&D IP. We will keep talking to partners about how we bring the best digital experiences to our fans. We won't comment any further on speculation or rumors about potential M&A or licensing deals."

So, to be clear, Hasbro is not selling D&D to a Chinese company. They are in--as always--talks to license their IP to various companies for various purposes, including electronic games, movies, and lunchboxes.

 

[Zardnaar]

There are plenty of entities interested in purchasing D&D.

The problem is, none of them is willing to pay even close to what Hasbro would need to even consider selling.

In conclusion: the only way a sale is going to happen is if either of these things come to pass:

• D&D fades back into obscurity to such an extent Hasbro becomes convinced the IP is worthless (bringing the price back down into the realm of what ttrpg companies could possibly pay). This is the "D&D is brought back into the care of loving hobbyists" like Green Ronin (or Paizo, or EN Publishing, or...) scenario. This probably won't happen and certainly not within 5 years.
• D&D strikes it big with a mega success that overshadows the success of 5E by at least one order of magnitude, so that the IP appears on the radar of actually big business (not minor players like Hasbro). This is the Microsoft or Ubisoft scenario.
• Hasbro fails and bankrupts though not because of D&D, and there is a fire sale of its IPs. That is, there is a sale, but not because anyone wanted it. God knows where D&D ends up in this scenario. An investment bank perhaps?

Pretty much how I see it. Magic tanking would be a big sign for it.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

The action-live movie was not a bomb if we compare with other productions in the last years, and now BG3 is the superstar of the computer RPGs.

Hasbro acquired by a bigger fish? Maybe, but there are serious doubts. Microsoft could if there is a good reason to invest into IPs. I doubt any company was happy to be acquired by the current Ubisoft.

Hasbro facing the menace of bankrupt shouldn't be totally impossible if there is a horrible year in the global company and then we could watch the fall of several megacorporations. Then Hasbro could be acquired by one of the survivors of the economic crisis.

Elon Musk could buys Hasbro only to save his loved D&D.

 

[Zardnaar]

The action-live movie was not a bomb if we compare with other productions in the last years, and now BG3 is the superstar of the computer RPGs.

Hasbro acquired by a bigger fish? Maybe, but there are serious doubts. Microsoft could if there is a good reason to invest into IPs. I doubt any company was happy to be acquired by the current Ubisoft.

Hasbro facing the menace of bankrupt shouldn't be totally impossible if there is a horrible year in the global company and then we could watch the fall of several megacorporations. Then Hasbro could be acquired by one of the survivors of the economic crisis.

Elon Musk could buys Hasbro only to save his loved D&D.

It was worth -25 million to Hasbro. Whoever paid the marketing presumably Paramont got to eat the rest.

 

[CapnZapp]

Elon Musk could buys Hasbro only to save his loved D&D.

Ahh, a 6th edition with good Christian conservative values...