Wizards of the Coast President John Hight to Leave Position

John Hight, the current president of Wizards of the Coast, has announced his decision to step down from the role effective September 1. According to a recent US Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Hight will continue to work with the company as an advisor after his departure. Having joined Wizards of the Coast in August 2024, Hight brought with him nearly 13 years of experience from Blizzard, where he served as general manager for the Warcraft franchise. During his tenure as president, he oversaw the strategic development of prominent franchises such as Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, as well as several video game titles currently in production, including the highly anticipated sci-fi RPG Exodus. Recently, Hasbro, the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, reported a $56 million impairment charge related to its video game portfolio, confirming the cancellation of multiple games slated for release in 2028 and beyond. In response to Hight's transition, Wizards of the Coast expressed gratitude for his leadership and contributions, stating that he will continue to support the company in an advisory capacity while pursuing other creative and professional opportunities. The company emphasized that there will be no change to the strength of the Wizards business, with Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons continuing to perform well, and the upcoming 2027 video game slate, including Exodus and Warlock, remaining on track. An internal and external search for Hight's successor is currently underway. In a previous interview, Hight expressed interest in developing a new Dungeons and Dragons MMO, suggesting the need to rethink the traditional MMO model. At the time, a team of developers who previously worked on EA's cancelled Black Panther game had joined Wizards of the Coast to work on a new title under the leadership of veteran creative director Michael de Plater. Although details about the project remain scarce, Hight also discussed the company's collaboration with Stig Asmussen, the director of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, on an action-adventure game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, which was later cancelled in May this year.