D&D General WotC Continues D&D's Advance To Digital First Brand

It's been apparent for some time that Dungeons & Dragons is moving towards a digital-first brand, centered around D&D Beyond, accompanied by a larger a shift into IP and lifestyle property.

D&D has had cartoons, toys, comics, and so on for decades, so this is not new, but the focus on these IP-based licenses appears to be gowing.

In Hasbro's latest earnings call, CEO Chris Cocks notes that the company -- by which he is referring to Hasbro, WotC, and their digital studio teams -- "delighted more than 1 billion kids, families and fans, secured partnerships that further underwrite future growth, advanced our evolution to a digital-first play and IP company and delivered record profits for our shareholders."

As we enter 2026, we view playing to Win and more importantly, the execution behind it by our Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast and digital studio teams as a clear success. Despite market volatility and a shift in consumer environment, we returned this company to growth in a meaningful way. We delighted more than 1 billion kids, families and fans, secured partnerships that further underwrite future growth, advanced our evolution to a digital-first play and IP company and delivered record profits for our shareholders.

As previously mentioned, this isn't really new information, but it is informative to see it clearly laid out by Hasbro's CEO. In the last couple of years, the company has had massive success with Baldur's Gate 3, and critical (if not commercial) success with the movie Honor Amongst Thieves. At least two D&D TV shows are currently in development--one from HBO as a sequel to Baldur's Gate 3, and another from Netflix, also set in the Forgotten Realms. In the eanrings call, Cocks notes that they have "top-tier creative partners across more than 60 active entertainment projects."

Digital sales currently make up 60% of D&D's revenue. With digital-exclusive expansions being sold on D&D Beyond, a robust virtual tabletop integration, and the bringing in of the larger third-party D&D content creators as partnered content, D&D's move towards digital-first is well underway. While there is no indication that the physical books will go away, they are slowly becoming secondary or collector's items rather than the primary product.

 

[aiouh]

Is “digital first” just marketing speak? I’d be concerned if they de-incentivise in person, non-digital play.

I really liked all the components, maps and extras that came with the hero’s of the borderlands set. And I’m definitely a physical first customer. So I’m sad if they do less of this.

If you read the free preview Adventure of Adventures in Faerun and the other adventures in the final hardcover it seems obvious that they're designing some of them digital first.

Claim Forgotten Realms: The Tenebrous Stone now! - D&D Beyond

www.dndbeyond.com

If you look at the map it is pretty obvious this was made for VTTs, this is quite obvious for a bunch of "modules" in the book featuring either extremely detailed or large maps that wouldn't even fit on the ginormous dry-erase Flip-Mat. There's no way in hell this makes any sense by mapping it by hand.

It feels like $HAS wants you to buy the stuff on dndbeyond and play on Maps, even if it is in-person. This shuts out piracy and secondary market sales.

 

[Johnsy]

It means exactly what it says on the tin. The digital experience is the 'primary' version of the game.

I’d be concerned that over time this changes the game in ways that make it less viable to play without digital tools. So that rather than digital tools supplementing a primarily analogue experience (which I’m fine with) they begin to become part of the core experience itself.

Sounds like this is already happening. But how much of it is the need to have more revenue streams than doing what’s actually best for the game. Ofc everyone is free to play in the manner they enjoy best.

 

[TheSword]

From a more specific RPG point - outside of CRPG, media etc - the way they are engaging with customers through Beyond and VTT partners is heartening.

Foundry VTT modules for Faerun and Eberron were available within days of release. That is not something we have ever had before. It means my next campaign will be Forgotten Realms and not WFRP.

To be honest we have the best of both worlds because we also get beautifully produced hardcover products with great art, full color poster maps. Furthermore there are tangible assets through partnership like Beadle and Grimm and Whizkids.

These are the good times.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

I assume that the long term goal is making Beyond the primary delivery system for D&D content, and that physical product will be eventually outsourced to someone like Beadle & Grimm. Buying a D&D book will be like buying a new album on vinyl, a cassette tape, a transparent CD, or a N64 cartridge.

 

[aiouh]

To be honest we have the best of both worlds because we also get beautifully produced hardcover products with great art, full color poster maps. Furthermore there are tangible assets through partnership like Beadle and Grimm and Whizkids.

These are the good times.

I'm sorry but in terms of "best of both worlds", are you referring to this 140€ bundle of maps and DM Screen that doesn't contain the original 50-55€ book?

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

I’d be concerned that over time this changes the game in ways that make it less viable to play without digital tools. So that rather than digital tools supplementing a primarily analogue experience (which I’m fine with) they begin to become part of the core experience itself.

Sounds like this is already happening. But how much of it is the need to have more revenue streams than doing what’s actually best for the game. Ofc everyone is free to play in the manner they enjoy best.

I literally do not leave my house without a computer in my pocket that's like 100,000 times more powerful than the computers that put men on the moon.


I'd say the number of people in the D&D demographic that do not own a smartphone is miniscule. Back in the 70s, it was reasonable to assume that the average D&D player had pencils and paper, and the game was designed with access to those tools in mind. 50 years hence, the average player has access to fantastical digital technology; shouldn't the game be played with that?

 

[Johnsy]

I literally do not leave my house without a computer in my pocket that's like 100,000 times more powerful than the computers that put men on the moon.


I'd say the number of people in the D&D demographic that do not own a smartphone is miniscule. Back in the 70s, it was reasonable to assume that the average D&D player had pencils and paper, and the game was designed with access to those tools in mind. 50 years hence, the average player has access to fantastical digital technology; shouldn't the game be played with that?

I did say people should play the way they want. It’s good there are options that work for all.

My concern is that a tool that was originally used to aid playing eventually becomes a tool that is required to play. At that point, people aren’t free to play without them.

I think you’re disagreeing with points I didn’t make.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

My concern is that a tool that was originally used to aid playing eventually becomes a tool that is required to play. At that point, people aren’t free to play without them.

I guess for me, that's only an issue if the tools required for play are inaccessible in some form; if everyone can be reasonably assumed to have access to a computer then there's no reason not to require a computer for play. Otherwise the bounds of play should be expanded to encompass reasonable expenditure of resources at the time of publication, rather than using antique tools as a form of ritual.

And, to a degree, I also don't feel it's a loss if the materials to play older editions of D&D are still available. No one is taking a paper-based 5th edition away, and if a theoretical 6e requires a computer to play, that's not really a loss.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

While there is no indication that the physical books will go away, they are slowly becoming secondary or collector's items rather than the primary product.

Yeah, this is what I've been expecting for quite a long time, now they're calling it "digital first" but previously it was also the logical consequence of them wanting to move D&D to being a "lifestyle brand", plus ca change I guess.