CEO Of WotC and Hasbro Gaming, Cynthia Williams, Steps Down
WotC’s president will step down ahead of the company’s major launches. But, according to Hasbro, the hunt is on for a successor.
Cynthia Williams, president of Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro Gaming since 2022, will step down on April 26, 2024. The news comes via an SEC filing originally picked up by Rascal News, which reached out to Hasbro about the unfolding resignation.
The move may come as a surprise, with Wizards of the Coast currently celebrating the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons and the forthcoming release of a 2024 revision to the core rules. But, according to a comment from Hasbro, the parting seems to be amicable. What effect, if any, this will have on the 5E reboot remains to be seen.
Cynthia Williams Steps Down as CEO
Cynthia Williams originally came to Wizards of the Coast via Microsoft Gaming. A move that highlights how both WotC and Hasbro have shifted their focus to emphasize digital gaming. Williams drew some controversy from the D&D community when remarking that the brand was “under-monetized” and had been working with Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks to develop a “recurring spending environment” for the venerable RPG.
When reached for comment, Wizards of the Coast told Rascal News, who initially discovered the SEC filing, that the company was “excited” for Williams’ next steps:
“We’re excited for Cynthia to take the next step in her career and grateful for the contributions she has made in her more than two years at Wizards and Hasbro. We wish her the absolute best in her next endeavor. We have started the search for our next President of Wizards of the Coast and hope to have a successor in place soon.”
And while, to my sensibilities, the lack of any exclamation points when saying you’re excited for someone to make a move or wishing someone the best of luck while in the same breath saying that you’re looking to find their replacement reads with the same emotional intensity as, say, slashing someone’s tires and carving the words “GOOD LUCK” into the hood of their car, you have to remember that that’s just how people talk in the corporate world talk, and WotC probably does wish Williams well.
Apparently, not everyone has the same overwhelming dread of accidentally making someone think you’re mad at them via text.
More on the story as it unfolds!
