Update
Since the publication of this article, Hasbro has gone on to have this tantalizing fireside chat with UBS. In the interview, a variety of topics were discussed and addressed, with Hasbro even commenting on the Bank of America’s damning report that was recently released. To keep you up to speed, below are the articles we’ve written about what went on during this discussion.
- Hasbro Addresses Claims They’re Overprinting MTG
- Hasbro Suggests Casual Arena Players Are The Future of MTG
(The original article continues below)
Just a few weeks ago, Magic: the Gathering appeared to be in the best place financially it’d ever been. Hasbro had just decreed that MTG was its first billion-dollar brand, after all. Players weren’t too happy about this. Due to the overabundance of products, however, it is nevertheless an indisputably impressive milestone. Thanks to sets and collectible products making money hand over fist, it seemed that MTG would continue down this path. This was until the Bank of America released a scathing report and double-downgraded Hasbro’s stock. Following this report, MTG’s days appeared to be numbered, with players suggesting it’s only a matter of time before Hasbro runs the brand into the ground. Thankfully, all hope may not be lost for the world’s oldest trading card game. After almost a month of eerie silence, Hasbro will finally discuss MTG’s problems… hopefully.
A Fireside Chat
A little earlier this week, Hasbro announced that they’d be hosting a fireside chat focused on Magic: the Gathering. Scheduled to take place on the 8th of December, this chat will be hosted by UBS and feature Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks and Wizards of the Coast President Cynthia Williams. While this presentation will primarily be aimed at investors, it can be listened to on Hasbro’s website. Unfortunately, beyond the date and time of the 8th of December at 11 am EST (4 pm GMT), few details have been announced thus far. Nevertheless, this fireside chat is poised to be hugely important for the future of the brand. After all, Hasbro has a lot to answer for now that its flaws have been so viciously exposed.
If you can’t tune into the fireside chat, don’t worry, we’ll be reporting on its proceedings should anything interesting happen. So watch this space!
Better Late Than Never
Understandably, upon hearing the news that this fireside chat was taking place, the MTG community whipped itself into a flurry. Sure, there may be no details about what’s being discussed, but that didn’t stop the excitement. The fact that Hasbro was addressing anything about MTG after the Bank of America report is seemingly cause for celebration. Amidst the eager intrigue, however, many MTG players cast doubt on this impending chat. Reddit user u/NftEntrepreneur, for instance, lambasted the event when saying, “more like dumpster fire 2022 chat.’”
Other players, meanwhile, suggested that this fireside chat is Hasbro’s attempt at some serious damage control. For example, Reddit user u/artyfowl444 posited that “this is gonna be damage control to the most shenanigan degree.” Additionally, u/UtopiaPlea furthered this point, telling players to “get ready for a bunch of vetted, teed up, softball questions.” Unfortunately, while this may not be what the players want to hear, this damage control-focused approach does make sense. After all, this is an investor presentation that’s aimed at soothing the panicked investors who’ve just had their stock double-downgraded.
This fact was pointed out by several users on Reddit, such as u/f0me. “For those unaware, these are usually aimed at investors and shareholders, not at customers,” u/f0me explained on the MagicTCG subreddit. “They will likely be addressing the recent downgrading of their stock by Bank of America, among other finance-related topics.” Following this statement, u/knightofeffect pointed out that “when discussing MTG in particular, those lines are a little more skewed than normal.” Subsequently, players should hopefully expect to hear some relevant information about the game’s future. Just don’t expect Hasbro to announce countless Dominaria Remastered spoilers during this presentation.
What’s on the Docket?
As we stated before, neither Hasbro nor UBS has announced the talking points for this fireside presentation. Despite this, MTG players have still been engaging in a little rampant speculation ahead of the chat itself. Reddit users such as u/knightofeffect suggested that this fireside chat surely can’t go well for Hasbro. “If they actually apologize, the internet will lose its mind… If they don’t actually apologize, the internet will lose its mind…” Alongside these sarcastic predictions that “this isn’t going to be a sh*tshow at all,” Reddit users such as u/TheJ2daEFF offered more sensible suggestions. Laying out a range of talking points, u/TheJ2daEFF highlighted how the recent issues that have been plaguing MTG might be spun into agreeable solutions.
“They will reiterate Magic: the Gatherings Q4 sales forecast of low double-digit growth for year over year. Fans are still ‘enthusiastic’ about the game and willing to spend on things they are passionate about.
They will acknowledge the increase in product over the years and assure listeners that they believe Magic the Gatherings offerings are now right sized at 7 premium sets a year and don’t expect to make more.
They will mention the growing player base and the success of Arena as a gateway to the game. They will talk Warhammer’s success as evidence that their Universe Beyond strategy is working.
They will mention that they are focused on the collectability of cards and that limited printing offers like secret lair will not dilute the game.
If they acknowledge 30A they will say the feedback they received from customers of the product was good. Sales are matching ‘internal expectations’ and 30th anniversary is a year-long celebration. All players will have plenty of chances to celebrate with us.”
u/TheJ2daEFF
Ultimately, while the community has raised some compelling points, there’s no telling what Hasbro will talk about during this chat. Not until tomorrow, the 8th of December, at least, when the presentation will take place. Hopefully, the chat will provide a positive glimpse into the future of the Magic: The Gathering brand, but for that, we’ll just have to wait and see.
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