Wizards of the Coast Head Explains Benefits to D&D Franchise Model

The head of Wizards of the Coast believes that moving to a franchise model will allow for more alignment between D&D multimedia and the core D&D tabletop game. Recently, Wizards of the Coast president John Hight spoke with GameIndustry.biz in a wide-ranging interview about the gaming company. Much of the interview was spent on Wizards' digital gaming ambitions, but Hight did speak about the realignment of the company to a franchise model.

Under the franchise model, all D&D-related operations now run through Dan Ayoub as opposed to having different arms for entertainment, video games, and tabletop. In the interview, Hight stated that the franchise model would allow for better coordination - specifically between different aspects of the franchise. One example was the D&D movie, which had relatively limited crossover with the D&D tabletop game. "We'd love to have had a D&D book or campaign a part and parcel with the movie," he says.

He also noted that Stranger Things - which is receiving a new tie-in project next month - could be integrated more with the game. "It'd be nice to have that all lined up, so when this thing rolls out, we've got a campaign for you to enjoy that's something you saw on the show, or the characters in the show."

Additionally, Hight noted that another side to the franchise model is to fully align the digital and physical sides of play, which he hopes will lead to in-person play. "Unfortunately, because of COVID, there's a whole generation of gamers that has spent a good deal of their time playing only online," he said. "And they're re-discovering the joy of being able to play together. What I want us to be able to do is have players move fairly seamlessly between in person play and online play."

Elsewhere in the interview, Hight hinted at a new D&D MMORPG, stating that he has encouraged development of a new MMO but stopped shy of saying a project was officially in the works.

 

[AlViking]

Why and how a publically-owned company chooses to increase their profits matters to me. I don't trust the motives of companies controlled by shareholders. I don't know what to tell you.

Is WOTC currently doing anything unethical? Anything at all other than sell products people want to buy in a competitive market?

Because as long as every other company is free to produce their products as well I don't see what the issue is. The only thing I care about is whether or not they sell a product I want.

 

[Hussar]

Not to be obtuse, but, isn't the OGL (or now the CC) model essentially what is meant by a "franchise" model? WotC is still at the top of the chain, providing the base rules and setting the standard for publications and then everyone else gets to participate through the CC? WIth alternatives through things like DM's Guild and whatnot?

For example, isn't something like Fantasy Grounds or Roll20 essentially a franchise of D&D? Their largest (by far) gaming use is D&D and they sell everything D&D that they can. How is this "franchise model" different from business as usual?

 

[AlViking]

Again, the fact that I can't personally change capitalism doesn't mean I shouldn't have and express my concerns.

But it would be more convincing if it was something other than "publicly traded companies bad" while if a company is owned by an individual you don't like it's just as bad.

 

[Hussar]

Is WOTC currently doing anything unethical? Anything at all other than sell products people want to buy in a competitive market?

Because as long as every other company is free to produce their products as well I don't see what the issue is. The only thing I care about is whether or not they sell a product I want.

You're not playing the game right.

Every single thing WotC does is unethical by virtue of WotC doing it. They could be finding homes for three legged kittens and this would still be painted as unethical.

 

[bedir than]

Not to be obtuse, but, isn't the OGL (or now the CC) model essentially what is meant by a "franchise" model? WotC is still at the top of the chain, providing the base rules and setting the standard for publications and then everyone else gets to participate through the CC? WIth alternatives through things like DM's Guild and whatnot?

For example, isn't something like Fantasy Grounds or Roll20 essentially a franchise of D&D? Their largest (by far) gaming use is D&D and they sell everything D&D that they can. How is this "franchise model" different from business as usual?

No.

The Franchise Model is having the various business units that do D&D stuff actually talk to each other about the stuff they're doing. So the Video Game and TTRPG and TV/Movie and Merchandising teams coordinate on projects rather than what happened post Stranger Things boxed set 1.0

 

[mamba]

Again, the fact that I can't personally change capitalism doesn't mean I shouldn't have and express my concerns.

but you should be able to have a reason for your concerns, so far I see nothing that explains why a private investor would be any better for D&D

 

[Parmandur]

if anything I would the expect the opposite to be true. A private company still serves the shareholders, that does not change, the only thing changing is that they have considerably less oversight and public reporting requirements, and probably serve their shareholders’ interests more than public companies do

Prime case in point: the cocaine fueled fiasco that was Gygax/Blume era TSR.

 

[Parmandur]

Not to be obtuse, but, isn't the OGL (or now the CC) model essentially what is meant by a "franchise" model? WotC is still at the top of the chain, providing the base rules and setting the standard for publications and then everyone else gets to participate through the CC? WIth alternatives through things like DM's Guild and whatnot?

For example, isn't something like Fantasy Grounds or Roll20 essentially a franchise of D&D? Their largest (by far) gaming use is D&D and they sell everything D&D that they can. How is this "franchise model" different from business as usual?

No, that's a seperate thing: thr franchise model means one executive is in charge of and communicates with all the people who D&D things, so they can handily coordinate TTRPG stuff with new movie or video games or have .merchandise that ties into thw game.

WotC was doing a franchise model in early 5E, it in the laye teena they reorganized into a "studio" model which meant that the TTRPG "studio" (or the Magic card game studio) was completely seperate from licensing people, so no direct communication between gane designers and movie producers. Pros and cons to both approaches, but now they have switched back to the franchise model which they had a decade ago.

 

[Reynard]

Some of you have never heard of enshittification and it shows.

 

[Hussar]

No, that's a seperate thing: thr franchise model means one executive is in charge of and communicates with all the people who D&D things, so they can handily coordinate TTRPG stuff with new movie or video games or have .merchandise that ties into thw game.

WotC was doing a franchise model in early 5E, it in the laye teena they reorganized into a "studio" model which meant that the TTRPG "studio" (or the Magic card game studio) was completely seperate from licensing people, so no direct communication between gane designers and movie producers. Pros and cons to both approaches, but now they have switched back to the franchise model which they had a decade ago.

Ok, that's just me being obtuse.

Makes sense though. A more focused strategy. The downside being everything will be tighter and you happen not to like something, you probably won't have as many alternatives until the next project comes down the pipe.