John Hight, president of Wizards of the Coast, will be stepping down from his position after two years. He will transition to an advisory role with the company beginning September 1.
Hight joined Wizards of the Coast after a tenure as general manager at Blizzard Entertainment. His departure from the presidential role was disclosed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. In his new capacity, Hight will continue to advise the company while pursuing other creative endeavors. "There is no change to the strength of the Wizards business. Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons continue to perform incredibly well," a statement from Wizards of the Coast assured. The company is initiating a search for Hight's successor, both internally and externally.
This change occurs shortly after Hasbro, the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, announced a $56 million impairment charge against its gaming division. This financial adjustment was accompanied by the cancellation of several video game projects currently in development. Despite these cancellations, games such as Exodus and Warlock: Dungeons and Dragons are confirmed to be proceeding as planned. The company indicated a strategic pivot towards its established major franchises.
Wizards of the Coast reiterated that its 2027 video game slate, including Exodus and Warlock, remains on track. Exodus is described as a Mass Effect-inspired title aiming to innovate upon the established formula of the sci-fi trilogy. The future success of these titles is anticipated to influence future investment within the video game industry.