Wizards of the Coast has stated that there are numerous opportunities to showcase Dungeons & Dragons outside of traditional role-playing games

One year after Baldur's Gate 3 debuted, Hasbro and its subsidiary Wizards of the Coast are intensifying their focus on the video game sector, seeing potential for their extensive intellectual property to thrive across various genres.

During an interview with GamesIndustry.biz at Gamescom in Cologne, Eugene Evans, Senior Vice President of Digital Licensing, noted that despite the significant impact of Larian Studios' RPG, the IP owner is looking to expand Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering—Hasbro’s top revenue-generating properties—beyond just licensing deals for additional major games.

"We have AAA games currently in development," Evans mentioned. "We've disclosed partnerships with companies like Starbreeze and Gameloft for new D&D games. I'll leave the details to your imagination as to what these could be."

Evans highlighted that D&D and Magic have potential beyond role-playing games. The exploration of Magic's digital offerings is still in budding stages. One example is Magic: The Gathering Arena, a free-to-play digital edition of the popular card game.

Marking the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, the company has collaborated with various popular games, introducing special items in Bungie's Destiny 2 and featuring the famed antagonist Vecna in Dead By Daylight by Behaviour Interactive. Evans hinted at "more surprises" slated for release in the coming months.

Currently, Hasbro boasts 80 active games and contracts in the gaming market, with 40 projects underway with collaborators. These are scheduled to launch over the next two to three years, with 18 planned for 2024.

This aligns with the statement from CEO Chris Cocks, who emphasized Hasbro's shift toward becoming a digital play-oriented company, saying they're fully committed to this transformation.

Future releases span from mobile successes like Monopoly Go, which has surpassed $3 billion in revenue, to substantial PC and console titles, covering nearly the full spectrum of Hasbro's properties, including Transformers, Mr. Potato Head, Monopoly, and Clue.

"There's a likelihood that if you played a certain game growing up, we probably own it," he remarked humorously. "We're quickly signing new partnerships in line with our game releases, with nearly all intellectual properties being discussed or having a product in development."

The triumph of Baldur's Gate 3 and Monopoly Go has spurred an intense increase in developer interest, as Evans reported a surge in project proposals and meeting requests.

It's not just emerging developers eager to partner with Hasbro. Evans suggests that more established studios are turning to Hasbro to capitalize on its vast range of intellectual property, seeking to mitigate industry risks by leveraging known brands.

"With current industry uncertainties, many are trying to reduce risks, and introducing a well-known intellectual property can enhance marketing efficiency and the chances of creating a popular game," he explained.