More Layoffs Hit Wizards of the Coast Amid Corporate Reorganization
There are fresh indications of more layoffs at Wizards of the Coast, with news coming directly from those impacted. Associate Influencer Manager Dixon Dubow announced on Twitter that he had been laid off as part of a corporate re-organization. Dubow, expressed his dismay, saying, “Unfortunately, I was informed today that my position on @Wizards_DnD has been impacted as part of a corporate re-organization. I have been laid off. More words will come later, for now I am just heartbroken.” (Update 24/10: WOTC has confirmed the layoffs, read the update at the end of the article. WOTC has also reported a decline in D&D revenue.)
Dixon Dubow played a significant role in building relationships with the community. His contributions were widely recognized amongst content creators as helping Wizards of the Coast maintain strong connections during major events and product releases.
The corporate reorganization remains vague, with concerns about what this means for the future of Wizards of the Coast and its structure. Wizards of the Coast has yet to issue an official statement regarding this development.
This is not the first time Wizards of the Coast has faced significant layoffs in recent years. In December 2023, Hasbro, the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, announced a round of layoffs that affected 1100 staff members, many of whom were part of Wizards of the Coast. This came after an earlier round of 800 layoffs at the beginning of 2023, bringing the total number of positions eliminated last year to over 1900, marking a 20% workforce reduction. The layoffs were part of a broader strategy by Hasbro to navigate financial challenges amid a struggling toy market, while also cutting costs by selling their stake in eOne and closing their Providence, R.I. offices.
During these challenging times, Wizards of the Coast had been a bright spot for Hasbro, with Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons seeing significant popularity. However, the recent developments raise questions about the company’s direction and its ability to sustain community-focused initiatives.
Update 24/10
Toybook.com has revealed that Hasbro has announced significant organizational changes as part of its ongoing restructuring efforts.
In a letter to Hasbro employees CEO Chris Cocks stated that less than 100 employees will be affected by a workforce reduction, as WOTC seeks to streamline operations and speed up its product development processes. These changes are aimed at reducing the time to market by at least three months, with a focus on “design to value” according to Cocks.
The letter goes on to say that the restructuring reflects Hasbro’s increasing focus on digital, direct, and technology-driven innovation, with several leadership roles being redefined. You don’t have to read between the lines here to understand that this means that the focus is getting players on D&D Beyond and Sigil while shifting book sales over to digital. Technology-driven innovation also likely refers to projects such as Sigil but also to generative AI which Cocks seems to be a big fan of.
The entire letter can be read over at Toybook.com.
