In a significant shake-up at Hasbro, CEO Chris Cocks has stepped in to directly oversee Wizards of the Coast, the powerhouse studio behind iconic franchises like Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons. This move follows the departure of Wizards president John Hight, creating a temporary leadership vacuum as the company searches for his successor. But what does this mean for the future of these beloved games and their expanding digital presence?
A Leadership Transition at Wizards of the Coast
Hight’s departure was officially announced in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing”]U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing on July 27th, less than a week after Hasbro’s latest earnings call. The filing indicated that Hight would step down as president of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming, with an advisory role lasting for one year following his departure. While Sept. 1st has now arrived, marking Hight’s official exit, Hasbro hasn’t yet named a successor or interim president.
A Hasbro representative confirmed to Polygon that, in the interim, Wizards’ existing leadership team will report directly to CEO Chris Cocks while the company conducts both internal and external searches for Hight’s replacement. “On an interim basis, the Wizards leadership team will report directly to CEO Chris Cocks,” the representative stated.
Hasbro initially highlighted the continued strength of Wizards in its public statement”]public statement announcing Hight’s departure. The company emphasized that Magic and D&D are “performing incredibly well” and reiterated that planned video game releases for 2027, including Exodus”]Exodus and Warlock”]Warlock, remain on track. However, a specific timeline for finding a new president remains unclear.
Hight himself offered a more personal explanation in a LinkedIn post”]LinkedIn post after the filing became public. He expressed his intention to dedicate more time to teaching, creative projects, and game development. He also praised the talented individuals who will continue leading Wizards in his absence.
The Future of Magic, D&D, and Digital Gaming
That existing leadership includes key executives responsible for Wizards’ most important properties. Earlier this year, Hight announced”]announced the promotions of Rebecca Shepard to senior vice president and global play lead for Studio X, Wizards’ internal Magic organization, and Aaron Forsythe to senior vice president of Magic design and creative. Shepard’s role focuses on enhancing player experiences across all forms of Magic, while Forsythe guides the game’s broader design and innovation.
Dan Ayoub continues to lead Dungeons & Dragons. He previously held the position of senior vice president of digital games at Hasbro before taking over as head of the D&D franchise in July 2025″]July 2025. His vision involves a consolidated approach, integrating books, video games, film, television, and other projects under one organization. This strategy also includes incorporating crossover properties into D&D, mirroring Magic’s successful Universes Beyond structure. The first of these, a World of Warcraft crossover”]World of Warcraft crossover, is slated for release this November.
While the specific executives reporting directly to Cocks haven’t been explicitly named, this new arrangement places the organizations responsible for Magic, D&D, and Wizards’ digital games under Hasbro’s CEO. This direct oversight streamlines decision-making during a period of transition.
Cocks’ Vision for Gaming at Hasbro
Chris Cocks previously served as president of Wizards from 2016 until becoming Hasbro CEO in 2022, overseeing significant growth for Magic. He has remained closely involved in shaping the company’s gaming strategy, consistently highlighting Magic as a major revenue driver. During Hasbro’s July 31st earnings call, Cocks presented a reassessment of the digital gaming portfolio, including cancellations, a write-down, and a revised strategy focused on “focus, cost discipline, ownable platforms and partnership.”
Cocks emphasized that Hasbro would concentrate its digital investments on trading card games and role-playing games, particularly Magic, D&D, Arena, and D&D Beyond, while relying more heavily on development and publishing partners. Six days later, the transition agreement with Hight was finalized.
Currently, Wizards is expanding several key initiatives. Last week, Hasbro posted three senior openings for a dedicated D&D Universes Beyond team, including a principal game designer”]principal game designer tasked with helping define “the next generation of Dungeons & Dragons play.” These listings suggest new collaboration experiences and formats extending beyond the World of Warcraft and Star Wars products already announced.
In a March interview with The Verge”]March interview with The Verge, Cocks described games as one of Hasbro’s three principal business areas, “really anchored by Wizards of the Coast.” He explained that Magic and D&D operate within a hybrid structure drawing upon Hasbro’s digital, entertainment, and licensing divisions. When asked who settles competing priorities across those divisions, Cocks succinctly replied: “Usually, it’s me.” With no Wizards president currently standing between Cocks and the company’s senior leadership, that statement is now more accurate than ever before.
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