Wizards Of The Coast: New The President Was Once A Senior Executive At Blizzard

Author

Prithhis Bose

Date

Jul, 19.2024

John Hight is the president of Wizards of the Coast, having previously served as senior vice president and general manager of the Warcraft brand. This titan of the video game business will now become a member of Wizards of the Coast's executive team, where he will supervise all of Hasbro's video game activities and assist in the development of Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering.

Hight recently made public his decision to leave Blizzard following a stellar 12-year career. During that period, Hight managed the development of Warcraft Rumble and Hearthstone in addition to working on almost six World of Warcraft expansions and Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls. Known for his even-tempered optimism, he was one of the more vocal voices advocating for Blizzard's restoration following a string of controversy and controversial design choices.

Hight is currently starting a new journey with a different significant entertainment company. Hasbro just announced that Hight has joined its executive team as the president of both Wizards of the Coast and the company's Digital Gaming division, as reported by Business Wire. Hight will oversee Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering in his new role, emphasizing the creation of "new storytelling tabletop and digital experiences." His appointment is regarded as "a significant step in Hasbro's strategic focus on digital experiences and video games," as he will also be in charge of all of the company's gaming studios and digital licensing agreements.

Former GM of Warcraft John Hight is Now WotC President

Hight taught game development courses at the USC School of Cinematics, served on the board of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, and even contributed to the production of AAA titles like God of War 3, Command and Conquer, and Neverwinter Nights before joining Blizzard. He is a well-known enthusiast for Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons, which makes him an excellent fit for this role.

It's undeniable that Hight's hiring at Wizards of the Coast will probably bring about a number of significant changes for the business, particularly in the video gaming industry. It won't be shocking if Hight leverages his background in game development to launch other digital projects for Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons to build on the enormous success of Baldur's Gate 3.

After a series of its own scandals, Wizards of the Coast has been struggling recently. Recent events that have brought Wizards of the Coast a lot of bad press include layoffs, increased costs for minor items, the employment of Pinkertons against one of its fans, the Open Gaming License scandal, and several instances involving AI art. With any luck, Hight—who guided Blizzard through its own storm—can assist Wizards of the Coast in doing the same.