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Hasbro to "Encourage Wizards of The Coast to Double The Size of Its Team" Thanks To Magic: The Gathering


Hasbro, Inc. reported its revenue and operating profit growth for the second quarter of 2019, and it showed a 9% revenue increase led by significant growth in its Magic: The Gathering franchise and now, it's encouraging Wizards of the Coast, its subsidiary that publishes Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons among others, to double its team.

According to Hasbro's earnings call (via Forbes), the popular card game was the most significant factor in the company's overall revenue increase. Thanks to the increased Magic tabletop popularity, in-store participation increased by 12%. Magic: The Gathering Arena, which is still currently in open beta, made up the second-largest source for Magic growth in the company's second quarter. Hasbro said on the call that Arena will officially be launched "within the next four months."

It turns out that June's Modern Horizons, a Magic set that skips the game's Standard format, was a major contributor to MTG's second-quarter growth, the Hasbro spokesperson said on the call.

The Hasbro spokesperson said on the call that the company plans to encourage Wizards of the Coast to double the size of its team within the next five years.

Since at least the 3rd quarter of 2018, Magic has been a major area of growth for Hasbro. In Q1 2019, Hasbro's earnings went up 20% thanks to profits from "most notably Magic: The Gathering and Monopoly."

According to the spokesperson in the call, Arena isn't hurting its tabletop version. "In fact, tabletop has shown increased momentum" alongside digital growth, the Hasbro spokesperson said. Last April, Brian Goldner, Hasbro's chairman and chief executive officer told Mad Moneythat tabletop Magic: The Gathering is growing and Magic Arena is driving more in-store growth and new players.

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