Also -and I suspect this bit has to do with the D&D movie (although
they sold eOne Film to Lionsgate) -
"Operating loss of $1,539 million includes $1.3
billion of non-cash goodwill and intangible asset
impairment charges associated with eOne film and TV,
a change in outlook for the balance of our owned and
operated production efforts and non-recurring
inventory costs. "
On 2/14/2024 10:07 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
Also -and I suspect this bit has to do with the D&D movie (although
they sold eOne Film to Lionsgate) -
"Operating loss of $1,539 million includes $1.3
billion of non-cash goodwill and intangible asset
impairment charges associated with eOne film and TV,
a change in outlook for the balance of our owned and
operated production efforts and non-recurring
inventory costs. "
They lost 1.3 billion somehow on the D&D movie? I don't get this.
Sounds fishy, or perhaps stupid?
On 2/15/2024 5:17 PM, Justisaur wrote:
On 2/14/2024 10:07 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
Also -and I suspect this bit has to do with the D&D movie (although
they sold eOne Film to Lionsgate) -
"Operating loss of $1,539 million includes $1.3
billion of non-cash goodwill and intangible asset
impairment charges associated with eOne film and TV,
a change in outlook for the balance of our owned and
operated production efforts and non-recurring
inventory costs. "
They lost 1.3 billion somehow on the D&D movie? I don't get this.
Sounds fishy, or perhaps stupid?
Might be stupid, they might not know how Hollywood Accounting works.
From everything I heard the movie was not as successful as they wanted,
but hardly a real flop. I mean, they are talking both sequel and tv
series. (and it has both quite good audience and critic ratings).
It reads to me that someone is being taken for a ride.
On 2/14/2024 10:07 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
Also -and I suspect this bit has to do with the D&D movie (although
they sold eOne Film to Lionsgate) -
"Operating loss of $1,539 million includes $1.3
billion of non-cash goodwill and intangible asset
impairment charges associated with eOne film and TV,
a change in outlook for the balance of our owned and
operated production efforts and non-recurring
inventory costs. "
They lost 1.3 billion somehow on the D&D movie? I don't get this.
Sounds fishy, or perhaps stupid?
On 2/14/2024 7:07 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
Hasbro recently released their 2023 financial results.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240212472255/en/Hasbro-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2023-Financial-Results/
(why do I feel like this post is something Kyonshi should be making?
;-)
Not surprisingly, it's not looking good for D&D
"Full year Hasbro, Inc. revenue declined 15% with
growth in the Wizards of the Coast and Digital
Gaming segment (+10%) more than offset by declines
in the Consumer Products segment (-19%) and
Entertainment segment (-31%). "
Also -and I suspect this bit has to do with the D&D movie (although
they sold eOne Film to Lionsgate) -
"Operating loss of $1,539 million includes $1.3
billion of non-cash goodwill and intangible asset
impairment charges associated with eOne film and TV,
a change in outlook for the balance of our owned and
operated production efforts and non-recurring
inventory costs. "
More on D&D:
- Revenue increase (in Wizards of the Coast / Digital
Gaming segment) of 10% driven by increase in Licensed
Digital Gaming revenue behind Baldur's Gate III from
Larian Studios and Monopoly Go! from Scopely.
- Tabletop revenue increased 1% behind growth in
MAGIC: THE GATHERING with a strong performance from
the Universes Beyond Lord of the Rings: Tales of
Middle-earth sets.
- Operating profit declined 2% and operating profit
margin of 36.1% due to higher royalty costs associated
with Universes Beyond.
- Q4 revenue declined 23% with growth in the Wizards of
the Coast and Digital Gaming segment (+7%) more than
offset by declines in the Consumer Products segment
(-25%) and Entertainment segment (-49%).
2024 outlook includes "Wizards of the Coast Segment revenue down 3% to
5% decline largely driven by second half comp in licensed digital
gaming; Operating margin 38% to 40%. "
So what little gains there have been for Wizards of the Coast have
been either from "Baldurs Gate 3" or from non-D&D stuff like Magic the
Gathering. And Hasbro expects the cash from "Baldurs Gate 3" to start
drying up.
Like I've said before, I have no idea if Hasbro will divest themselves
of the D&D brand... but it wouldn't surprise me if they did (but, also
knowing how avaricious corporations are, neither would I be surprised
if they kept it out of pure greed). But I think Hasbro was hoping they
could leverage the brand to be something more than a niche hobby. They
wanted to make a multimedia franchise out of it: movies, cartoons,
comics, toys (and more toys), etc. And I don't think D&D really lends
itself to that. Having spent billions in this quest and seen very
little in return, it wouldn't be unusual for them to try to sell the
brand to somebody else in attempt to recoup their losses.
Especially after they alienated so many of their hard-core fans - the
ones most likely to evangelicize the game - with their attempt to
revoke the OGL license.
I think they easily could make it into a successful multi-media
franchise, but as with so many things nowadays it demands effort. And
effort is not something venture capitalists want to put in themselves.
Hasbro literally owns TV channels. When My Little Pony was broadcast
this was done ON THEIR OWN CHANNEL.
But do they even think about making a new Dungeons and Dragons series to >entice kids?
Well, I don't know if they do. I certainly haven't heard anything about it. >Instead they made their own Dungeons and Dragons TV channel and then
sell the production company before it even goes live.
Hasbro could make DnD into something big. Instead they try to squeeze it
for all the money they can make as soon as possible.
So yeah, they are gonna sell it off. But I assume most of the company
assets will be sold off soon enough. The brand of capitalist in charge
of Hasbro only knows how to make short-term profits.
On Sun, 18 Feb 2024 23:02:22 GMT, gbbgu <gbbgu@gbbgu.com> wrote:
The sad thing about the movie is the burnt all the community/fan good will >> just before it came out.
It wasn't a good move, although I don't know how much it actually cost
them directly. Most gamers probably didn't know about it, and very few
were directly affected by it (indirectly, the change would have cost
them as fewer third-party modules would have been made, but that only
would have happened months or years in the future).
It did put the brakes on D&Ds increasing popularity amongst the
casuals as the game's evangelicals stopped promoting it. I don't think
the movie was less successful because 'the nerds' didn't go to see it
but not having them praise the game to the high-heavens probably
didn't help its uptake.
On 2/19/2024 12:24 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
(I know this has been discussed in this newsgroup before, but: "Tomb
of Horrors: The Movie", can you imagine? Although if it were honest to
the module, it would last all of five minutes before the first TPK 😉
The only way to do that properly would be as a black comedy, where
characters die messy deaths and are replaced by identical substitutes
almost immediately.
On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:00:46 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
wrote:
Again, none of this is /terrible/ for WOTC and D&D. The brand still
has value, and Hasbro may still have interest in keeping it. But I
think that Hasbro really was hoping to turn D&D more mainstream, and
that just isn't going to happen. Given the recent downturns in their
business - not only with D&D, but overall (Hasbro's core business of
selling plastic tchotkes to tots has been struggling too) - they may
decide that selling WOTC is a quick-n-easy way to make a few bucks. Especially since they haven't had much success in turning it into a super-profitable division. But they could just as easily decide that
the brand still has value to them and keep it.
Like I've said, I think D&D would be better off if it wasn't
controlled by a mega-corp. But Hasbro may not agree. We'll see how it
goes.
On 2/19/24 11:06 AM, Justisaur wrote:
On 2/19/2024 5:17 AM, kyonshi wrote:Or a Tomb of Horrors Groundhog Day:
On 2/19/2024 12:24 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
(I know this has been discussed in this newsgroup before, but: "TombThe only way to do that properly would be as a black comedy, where
of Horrors: The Movie", can you imagine? Although if it were honest to >>>> the module, it would last all of five minutes before the first TPK 😉 >>>
characters die messy deaths and are replaced by identical substitutes
almost immediately.
Do it as any horror movie. Even better, pull a Psycho on it. First
group is a seasoned shiny group with obviously all magical gear played
by well known actors. Overconfident they all walk in to the gaping
demon portal.
Next group are the underdogs who carefully go through and get killed
one by one, until one escapes with their life and little else.
The adventurers constantly die and restart the adventure
until they experience existential nihilism
before finally breaking out of the loop
On 2/19/2024 5:17 AM, kyonshi wrote:
On 2/19/2024 12:24 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
(I know this has been discussed in this newsgroup before, but: "Tomb
of Horrors: The Movie", can you imagine? Although if it were honest to
the module, it would last all of five minutes before the first TPK 😉
The only way to do that properly would be as a black comedy, where
characters die messy deaths and are replaced by identical substitutes
almost immediately.
Do it as any horror movie. Even better, pull a Psycho on it. First
group is a seasoned shiny group with obviously all magical gear played
by well known actors. Overconfident they all walk in to the gaping
demon portal.
Next group are the underdogs who carefully go through and get killed one
by one, until one escapes with their life and little else.
I think it's more of what the hell do they have left if they sell off
WotC? Toys are on the decline altogether. A quick search seems to
indicate NERF and Power Rangers, still owned by them are still doing
well. I suppose they could keep WotC & Magic (also still doing well)
and just sell off D&D. I can't see anyone that might have a chance of
doing something decent with it affording it though, so it'd likely end
up with another Megacorp unless an extremely wealthy fan decided to blow their wad on it.
On 21 Feb 2024, Justisaur wrote:
I think it's more of what the hell do they have left if they sell off
WotC? Toys are on the decline altogether. A quick search seems to
indicate NERF and Power Rangers, still owned by them are still doing
well. I suppose they could keep WotC & Magic (also still doing well)
and just sell off D&D. I can't see anyone that might have a chance of
doing something decent with it affording it though, so it'd likely end
up with another Megacorp unless an extremely wealthy fan decided to blow
their wad on it.
I'd love to see the sweet irony of Paizo purchasing it.
| Sysop: | Keyop |
|---|---|
| Location: | Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK |
| Users: | 297 |
| Nodes: | 16 (2 / 14) |
| Uptime: | 106:13:09 |
| Calls: | 6,661 |
| Calls today: | 3 |
| Files: | 12,209 |
| Messages: | 5,335,403 |