Dungeons & Dragons company Wizards of the Coast is scaling back its video game ambitions, as it has canceled at least five games, per Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier. There is no word on how far along the projects were in development, but it’s a drastic shift that signals a change in Wizards of the Coast’s perspective.
A spokesperson for the company told Bloomberg that it remains “committed to using digital games.” The spokesperson added that the company “made some changes to our long-term portfolio to focus on games which are strategically aligned with developing our existing brands and those which show promise in expanding or engaging our audience in new ways.” The cancellations will affect studios that were developing games for Wizards such as Otherside Entertainment and Hidden Path Entertainment. While the company’s statement suggests that fans could see a more focused approach to gaming content, the change will see fewer than 15 Wizards of the Coast staff losing their jobs. They will have the opportunity to apply for new roles at the company.
News of canceled games at Wizards of the Coast comes amid what has otherwise been an attempted resurgence in Dungeons & Dragons video games. While some titles, such as Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance from 2021, underperformed in the eyes of many critics and fans, Larian Studios has continued to impress with Baldur’s Gate 3. This third installment in the series has been in early access for more than two years with a full release expected to arrive later this year. With each update bringing on more promising content, it seems Larian will be unaffected by Wizards of the Coast’s step back from smaller-scale video games.
