WotC Wizards of the Coast Is Moving -- But Not Far!

Wizards of the Coast has leased 110,000 square feet in a new office development in Southport, an area of Renton, a city near Seattle in Washington. The company is already based in Renton, which is where D&D has been based since WotC acquired TSR.

Renton’s Southport, the 727,000 square foot office complex developed by SECO Development located on the southern shores of Lake Washington, has found another tenant to occupy its modern office space. Hasbro’s gaming subsidiary Wizards of the Coast

SECO’s Southport Development Scores 110,000 SQFT Lease with Gaming Developer Wizards of the Coast - The Registry

Renton SECO Development Southport The Partners Group Wizards of the Coast Hasbro

news.theregistryps.com

 

[bedir than]

What stands out to me is this move feels like an indicator that WotC wants to position itself to incoming talent as a tech company not a manufacturing/publishing company. I imagine (as @FitzTheRuke mentions up thread) that they want to be in a more "micro-brew" neighborhood than a "fast-food" type neighborhood - all to attract the software developer/product manager type folks as opposed to manufacturer/publishing type folks. But when I worked at a tech office that was "out in the burbs" with the closest restaurant a 7-11 and an off-brand burger joint, they had a bit more trouble hiring than one in the middle of hip downtown with so much choice of where to eat and go out after work.

The part of Renton they were in had plenty of amenities about a half mile away

 

[Eltab]

Generally speaking, I don't think much of cable news or even local broadcast television news, but most of what is accepted fact was reported and verified by a newspaper reporter, usually a local newspaper reporter making less than a school teacher's salary, and then regurgitated by progressively better paid (and less close to the source) other outlets.

Locally, one of the "classic three" TV stations, the best news radio station, and the only remaining newspaper share stories back and forth. All of them are part-owned by the same media group. The local coverage involves reporters actually visiting the scene of an event - be it a ribbon-cutting ceremony or a shooting or a HS football game - and feels more "real" because of it.

 

[Steampunkette]

Would you say they're...

Coasting?

 

[Eyes of Nine]

@Eyes of Nine @UngainlyTitan that’s a ton of raw speculation there. Your making conclusions based on some internal idea rather than the actual facts, imho.

Well, if you want to apply facts ( ) the one that stood out to me is that the developer has built this big old building, and since 2020 only has one tenant in it and no other prospects except a rumored crypto company. And perhaps WotC's lease was up and this space had a) reasonable rents and costs and b) "all mod cons" as they say - such as security, better wifi, etc etc and c) other buildout enticements so the developer can say they landed a premier tenant to all future tenants...

 

[Lanefan]

Well, if you want to apply facts ( ) the one that stood out to me is that the developer has built this big old building, and since 2020 only has one tenant in it and no other prospects except a rumored crypto company. And perhaps WotC's lease was up and this space had a) reasonable rents and costs and b) "all mod cons" as they say - such as security, better wifi, etc etc and c) other buildout enticements so the developer can say they landed a premier tenant to all future tenants...

Hmmmm...for some reason I thought WotC owned (and built) their current facility; though I could be - and probably am - wrong on this.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

For Comparison sake how big was the current HQ?

Honestly I think WotC should move their HQ to Toronto.

 

[bedir than]

Well, if you want to apply facts ( ) the one that stood out to me is that the developer has built this big old building, and since 2020 only has one tenant in it and no other prospects except a rumored crypto company. And perhaps WotC's lease was up and this space had a) reasonable rents and costs and b) "all mod cons" as they say - such as security, better wifi, etc etc and c) other buildout enticements so the developer can say they landed a premier tenant to all future tenants...

What happened in 2020 that destroyed office occupancy worldwide?

 

[Abstruse]

For Comparison sake how big was the current HQ?

Honestly I think WotC should move their HQ to Toronto.

Found an article when the building got new owners in 2015, apparently WotC is leasing 119,000 square feet.

Considering the new place is smaller at 110,000 square feet, I'm once again wondering are we sure they moving and not expanding with a second relatively nearby office?

 

[darjr]

Found an article when the building got new owners in 2015, apparently WotC is leasing 119,000 square feet.

Considering the new place is smaller at 110,000 square feet, I'm once again wondering are we sure they moving and not expanding with a second relatively nearby office?

I’m not sure they rent that much space now.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Found an article when the building got new owners in 2015, apparently WotC is leasing 119,000 square feet.

Considering the new place is smaller at 110,000 square feet, I'm once again wondering are we sure they moving and not expanding with a second relatively nearby office?

A lot of their employees work from home at least part time, so this might be simply be an attempt to exploit that fact by moving to a smaller, lower rent building. Plus they no longer have Avalon Hill, so that saves space. Plus all their new studios like Skeleton Key, Toque Games, are in different states or countries, not HQ.