Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering Both Had Their Best Sales Years Ever in 2020

Hasbro's strong 2020 earnings were driven in part by strong performances by Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner noted that the company generated $1.8 billion in revenue in 2020, an increase of 15%. Two of the big reasons for its successful year in gaming was due to Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons, both of which had their best years ever. While no further information was provided by Hasbro, a previous report by the LA Times noted that Dungeons & Dragons' overall revenue was up 35% compared to 2019 figures. That caps off a seventh year of consecutive growth for D&D, dating back to the release of the game's Fifth Edition ruleset back in 2014.

One major topic of conversation during Hasbro's earning call was the upcoming mobile release of Magic: The Gathering Arena. No specific timeframe was given for the mobile release, but Goldner noted it was due to release "just a bit later this year," or in a "number of months from now." Expectations from analysts are high about Magic: The Gathering Arena, which moves the popular trading card game to a digital format.

Both Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering are expected to continue their strong performance this year. The two brands are having another crossover, with Magic: The Gathering releasing a set of cards set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. Other sets coming out this year include a return to the horror-inspired world of Innistrad and a new set based in Strixhaven, the most elite university in the multiverse. Dungeons & Dragons has already announced their first project of 2021 - Candlekeep Mysteries - and is set to release another 2-3 products, including a full-length adventure. Recent playtests seem to be teasing an expanded take on the Ravenloft campaign setting, which was the site of Curse of Strahd, Dungeons & Dragons' most popular Fifth Edition adventure.