WotC WotC President Chris Cocks is Hasbro’s New CEO

Hasbro has appointed WotC president Chris Cocks as it’s new CEO.

Hasbro Names Chris Cocks as Chief Executive Officer

PAWTUCKET, R.I., January 05, 2022--Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Chris Cocks as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors, effective February 25, 2022. Mr. Cocks currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of...

finance.yahoo.com

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Chris Cocks as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors, effective February 25, 2022. Mr. Cocks currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming division, a global leader in tabletop and digital gaming. He will succeed Interim CEO, Rich Stoddart, who was appointed following the October passing of Hasbro’s longtime CEO Brian Goldner. Mr. Stoddart, who has served as a Hasbro independent director since 2014, will become Chair of the Board, effective February 25, 2022.

 

[Nikosandros]

That would be Mearls boss, Nathan Stewart, who would be more likely.

If he's still with the company.

Cocks, IIRC, came from Microsoft, so it's not a given that the position will go to someone already at WotC.

 

[vecna00]

Cocks, IIRC, came from Microsoft, so it's not a given that the position will go to someone already at WotC.

Indeed, but it won't go to someone who has people above them on the ladder at WotC.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

All hail Cocks! May the glory of greatness go to Cocks!

That said, if memory serves correctly, Mr. Cocks has long been a Magic the Gathering player, so if he's in an even higher position now, I wonder if this means we'll see a push for more MtG integrated into Hasbro projects, like a MtG movie/series, or more MtG settings turned into DnD books.

Indeed. Recently, Forbes mentionned that out of 813 millions USD sales for WotC in 2020, Magic the Gathering made 581 millions, a little over 70%, with increase numbers on par with the D&D figures we see floating around. It's logical they wouldn't lose this focus in the following years.

 

[grimslade]

Major Cocks-up at Hasbro! M:tG tournament to determine his successor at WotC.

Tangent to boardroom drama: Spelljammer. Planescape may have been the more popular setting, but Spelljammer has become a meme at this point. I have seen Spelljammer confirmed memes in random places most recently in a reddit thread about the James Webb telescope. Both settings are 30 years old and haven't been an actual thing for more than 20 years, so popularity/nostalgia is not a driver for either. At least Planescape had Torment and DiTerlizzi art. Spelljammer has Boo.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

I'd venture to say that Boo is much more widely known because of BG1/BG2 than Spelljammer.

 

[grimslade]

I'd venture to say that Boo is much more widely known because of BG1/BG2 than Spelljammer.

Sure. But that is how little Spelljammer has in the nostalgia tank. I say this as a frothing Spelljammer fanboy.

 

[DorkForge]

Congratulations to a hard working person being recognised!

On the Spelljammer front, I think there's an over estimation of nostalgia in its recognition. I started with 5e, most of the people I know either start with 5e or with 3rd, yet everyone knows of and is at least partially interested in Spelljammer. Youtubers talking about it have brought awareness and anticipation towards it for thousands of fans and it's been hinted at in at least one main 5e campaign book.

With the internet age we're beyond what people just remember playing as kids, those things have their own momentum now for various reasons.

 

[Parmandur]

Major Cocks-up at Hasbro! M:tG tournament to determine his successor at WotC.

Tangent to boardroom drama: Spelljammer. Planescape may have been the more popular setting, but Spelljammer has become a meme at this point. I have seen Spelljammer confirmed memes in random places most recently in a reddit thread about the James Webb telescope. Both settings are 30 years old and haven't been an actual thing for more than 20 years, so popularity/nostalgia is not a driver for either. At least Planescape had Torment and DiTerlizzi art. Spelljammer has Boo.

It is worth noting that Chris Perkins shared the alternate cover art for an upcoming book a couple months ago...which had a Beholder and a hamster:

 

[Von Ether]

It needs rules, not a full setting book. Meld it with Planescape as a way to travel between planes and call it a day.

If you read between the lines, I think that's pretty much what WotC has teed up. Perhaps making the Astral Sea a bit more literal.

And there's nothing wrong with giant space hamsters! Or giant rodent people for that matter.

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[Umbran]

It is only animation, and not live-action., but still coming.

"It is only animation," as if that's an indication of quality?