Revolutionary RPG Baldur's Gate 3 was the surpise hit of 2023; a confluence of contributing factors that led to Larian's creating a once-in-a-generation level experience. But Larian has left the building, moving onwards and upwards, and ultimate IP holder Hasbro has already made a $1 billion bet on internal game development.
Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, is already openly courting studios to make the next Baldur's Gate. Still, this massive investment from Hasbro is just the start of much larger ambitions. In an interview with Gamesindustry.biz during March's Game Developer's Conference (GDC), Dan Ayouob, Wizard's of the Coast head of digital product development, explained the rationale: "Hasbro's a 100-year-old company, and it's built on the play. It's always been about play; it's always been about entertaining people. Gaming is the predominant form of entertainment for a lot of people, and it's something that just continues to grow. So, in many ways, it makes sense for Hasbro to be in this space."
Ayoub says the company has four AAA studios: "We have a considerable investment in our studio structure; we've got over $1 billion in games right now being developed." These developers include Montreal-based Invoke Studios, tasked with crafting a Dungeon and Dragons game. Texas-based Skeleton Key is "doing something spooky”, North Carolina's Atomic Arcade is working on a Snake Eyes GI Joe game. Finally, also in Texas, Archetype, headed by Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic lead designer James Ohlen, is working on a new franchise called Exodus, which involves always-likeable sci-fi star Matthew McConaughey.
We were reassured by the lessons the firm took from the success of BG3, as Ayoub explains: "One of the great things we took from the success of Baldur's Gate 3 is that people really, really like a great, well-executed D&D game, so we've got something like that. And with Snake Eyes, while it's not a new IP, it's hopefully going to be a shot in the arm to the G.I. Joe franchise, and we can do some new things and express it in different ways in video games than we have traditionally." He concludes that Hasbro has a "very, very deliberate plan" for these internal studios, and promises: "Everything's going to stay in the oven as long as it needs to, were not going to rush anything out."
What do you think of Hasbro's big bet? Let us know in the comments section below.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 12
Unironically I wouldn’t be surprised if the next BG struggles to find a dev. Not because it’s not a good opportunity but because of just how much work and scope this game is. Topping BG3 is a Herculean task and one of the biggest reasons Larian were able to do it in the first place was because they weren’t under a publisher’s thumb.
About time Hasbro takes a good initiative in continuing and growing the franchise.... decades over decades of them relying on just toys can't possibly be lucrative in 2024
Today I just learned that Wizards of the Coast is owned by Hasbro.
Is Exodus the one that is being created by ex-Mass effect devs? That one looks interesting.
This feels gross. It feels like Hasbro's trying to make a quick buck off of BG. Larian asked to make Baldur's Gate 3 while they were in their Divine Divinity days. It's the love that counts.
@Deoxyr1bose I think there’s more than enough studios in trouble that Hasbro waving around big money will make them jump.
Whether the game will be anything like as good is far more doubtful
Art requires time, passion and soul, which is diametrically opposed to shareholder value. Creativity is a fickle thing that doesn’t come around too often, least of all on command.
But corporations never learn.
It’s almost comical how their only answer is to always throw more money at the problem.
@Ludacritz That's what Hasbro does. This whole enterprise is gonna' crash hard.
Hasbro becomes the new Nintendo…
Maybe they shouldn't have fired so many of the internal employees that worked with Larian on BG3. Hope some of that billion goes towards poaching Larian employees so that they get a ridiculous payday for departing arguably the best house in the biz.
@Frmknst
Time takes money though. Look at Rockstar's games.
It's a damn crime, honestly pisses me off, that there is not a single other company that makes long term games on their level. None.
It takes a long time to make a great studio. Games are too difficult for it all to come together the first time. BG3 was a result of a decade of foundations laid by Larian.
My worry is execs don't understand this, and the money and patience it will take.
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