Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks has taken direct oversight of Wizards of the Coast, the company responsible for flagship properties like Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons. This change comes after the departure of Wizards president John Hight, whose exit was disclosed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing on July 27.
While Hight's official departure from his role as president of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming was effective September 1, with a year-long advisory role to follow, Hasbro has not yet announced his successor or an interim president. In the interim, the existing Wizards leadership team will report directly to Cocks. A Hasbro representative confirmed this arrangement, stating that the company is committed to a thorough search process for Hight's replacement but has no specific timeline to share.
Hasbro initially emphasized the continued financial and operational strength of Wizards when announcing Hight's departure in July, asserting that Magic and D&D are performing exceptionally well and that two major video game releases planned for 2027, Exodus and Warlock, remain on schedule.
John Hight shared a personal explanation on LinkedIn, stating his intention to create more space for teaching, creative projects, and engaging with games. He expressed confidence in the existing leadership team, highlighting the creativity and passion they bring to Wizards' properties. This team includes executives like Rebecca Shepard, senior vice president and global play lead for Studio X, Wizards’ internal Magic organization, and Aaron Forsythe, senior vice president of Magic design and creative. Mark Rosewater continues to operate within this structure.
Dungeons & Dragons remains under the leadership of Dan Ayoub, who also heads the D&D franchise. Ayoub has been consolidating the franchise’s various arms—books, video games, film, and television—under a single organization. This strategy includes incorporating crossover properties, mirroring Magic's Universes Beyond initiative, with a World of Warcraft crossover set for release in November.
Cocks' direct involvement is significant, as he previously served as president of Wizards from 2016 until becoming Hasbro CEO in 2022, during a period of substantial growth for Magic. He has consistently identified Magic as a key revenue driver for Hasbro. During Hasbro's July 21 earnings call, Cocks detailed a revised digital gaming strategy, focusing investments on trading card games and role-playing games like Magic and D&D, while increasing reliance on development partners. This strategic shift was announced just six days before Hasbro entered into its transition agreement with Hight.
With Cocks now directly overseeing Wizards' leadership, his previous statement to The Verge that he often settles competing priorities across Hasbro's digital, entertainment, and licensing divisions becomes even more pertinent. Hasbro is also actively expanding initiatives for D&D, including seeking a principal game designer to help define the future of Dungeons & Dragons play and explore new collaboration experiences and audiences beyond existing announced products.