Publications
Publications
- July 2024
- HBS Case Collection
Wizards of the Coast and Magic: The Rebounding
By: Boris Groysberg and Tom Quinn
Abstract
This case traces the history and growth of the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. From its development in 1993 by tiny studio Wizards of the Coast, to Wizards’ acquisition by toy giant Hasbro in 1999, to its evolution into a billion-dollar brand in 2023, executives and game designers at Wizards had tweaked Magic’s winning formula. Its growth trajectory had been interrupted for long stretches by stagnant sales plateaus, and as the company entered 2024, executives gathered to plot how to grow the brand further.
Keywords
Business Growth and Maturation; Change Management; Transformation; Cost vs Benefits; Business Cycles; Games, Gaming, and Gambling; Global Strategy; Growth and Development; Selection and Staffing; Collaborative Innovation and Invention; Innovation Leadership; Intellectual Property; Job Design and Levels; Knowledge Use and Leverage; Leading Change; Growth and Development Strategy; Growth Management; Management Succession; Risk Management; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Competitive Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Expansion; Mergers and Acquisitions; Product Development; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; United States; Washington (state, US); Seattle; Japan
Citation
Groysberg, Boris, and Tom Quinn. "Wizards of the Coast and Magic: The Rebounding." Harvard Business School Case 424-047, July 2024.