Hasbro's Digital Strategy Driven by Success of Baldur's Gate 3 and Monopoly Go

Hasbro's CEO recently announced the company is going all-in on digital play, and Senior Vice President of Digital Licensing Eugene Evans elaborates on what this means. While it naturally brings video games to mind, the 101-year-old toy company is also exploring new ways to connect its physical and digital products. Evans notes that digital is now an integral part of daily life, and Hasbro aims to leverage this by augmenting its physical products with digital tools and systems. The company's recent successes with Baldur's Gate 3 and Monopoly Go demonstrate the potential of this approach. Despite being vastly different games, they share commonalities, such as being developed by domain experts who understand their genre and have a genuine interest in the IP. Evans emphasizes that working with experts who respect the IP is crucial for creating authentic products that resonate with fans. He also highlights the importance of having a clear reason for a product's existence in a competitive market. The success of Monopoly Go, which has captured the spirit of the classic board game, has redefined what it means to be a top-grossing mobile game, with $2 billion in consumer spending in just ten months. Evans believes this success sends a positive message to the mobile gaming sector, demonstrating that the right product, supported by a great brand, can achieve new heights. Hasbro has dozens of licensed projects in the works, ranging from in-game brand collaborations to standalone titles, and is keen to explore beyond obvious applications. While the company is building its own studios, licensing with partners will remain core to its digital strategy, allowing it to create a wide range of expressions for its IPs.