Summary
Hasbro has made $90 million off ofBaldur’s Gate 3since the hit RPG’s release in August 2023. Though it did not makeBaldur’s Gate 3directly, Hasbro has cashed in on its success via a licensing deal between Larian Studios and Wizards of the Coast.
Considering its multiple awards, includingGame of the Year 2023, few gamers haven’t heard ofBaldur’s Gate 3since its release last summer. Developed by Larian Studios,Baldur’s Gate 3uses a modified5th Edition Dungeons and Dragonssystem for its gameplay, and is set in the Forgotten Realms – the default setting used in manyD&Dadventures. Needless to say, Larian Studios had to form a licensing deal with Hasbro through Wizards of the Coast in order to makeBaldur’s Gate 3.
According toHasbro’s earnings call for the final quarter of 2023,Baldur’s Gate 3made Hasbro an impressive amount of money through that deal. Since the release of the hit CRPG, Wizards of the Coasts’ earnings have increased by 7%. While Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks admitted this could be attributed to the extremely popularLord of the RingssetMagic: The Gatheringreleased around that time as well,Baldur’s Gate 3had a huge hand in its profit increase. The company estimated theDungeons and Dragonslicensing deal made Hasbro about $90 million since its release.
Hasbro Made $90 Million Through BG3 Licensing Deals
Yet, despite this success, Hasbro had a rough financial year in 2023. The company as a whole experienced a 15% revenue decline last year, and lost about $1.5 billion across its branches. Shortly before Christmas, Hasbro laid off around 1,100 workers, includingWizards of the Coast staff who worked with Larian Studios onBaldur’s Gate 3. That said, Cocks seems optimistic about Hasbro’s future. “Our refreshed leadership team is bringing innovative new products to our fans," he said. “At the same time, we are taking the necessary actions to transform Hasbro and deliver long-term profitable growth starting with driving significant profit growth across our segments in 2024 and building momentum in our innovation pipeline between now and 2025.”
“Turn arounds take time and for our toy business we are still in the early innings. While we are likely to face some near-term industry headwinds in 2024 and we are comping a better than planned 2023 for Wizards, the work we have done under the hood to strengthen our balance sheet, upgrade our planning and right size our inventory are a strong foundation to build from.”
It is no exaggeration to sayDungeons and Dragonshas been on the rise. The rising popularity ofCritical Role, up to and includingThe Legend of Vox Machina, has brought a great deal of attention to it, andStranger Thingshelped bringD&Dto mainstream media.Baldur’s Gate 3only served to add more fuel to the fire, so it is not a stretch of the imagination to think its success broughtDungeons and Dragonseven more revenue purely through interest.
Wizards of the Coast recently sharedrelease dates for severalDungeons and Dragonsbooksover the course of 2024. The TTRPG is releasing revised versions of thePlayer’s Handbook,Dungeon Master’s Guide, andMonster Manualin late 2024 and early 2025. Fans will have to see how these new Core rulebooks, as well as Hasbro’s “Fewer, Bigger, Better” strategy, influence its financial success over the next few years.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCEChoose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPICForged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian’s next-generation RPG engine.
