John Hight will leave the Wizards of the Coast presidency this fall
He will stay on as an adviser to Hasbro's CEO for a year after leaving the position on September 1.
John Hight will leave his role as president of Wizards of the Coast on September 1, ending a two-year run at the company. He will remain with Hasbro as an adviser to its CEO for another year under a transitional agreement, unless that arrangement ends earlier.
The change was disclosed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing covering a “Transitional Advisory Services Agreement” reached between Hight and Hasbro on July 27. GamesIndustry also reported on the leadership change.
Hight joined Wizards in August 2024, two months after leaving Blizzard. Before that, he spent nearly 13 years at Blizzard and served as general manager of Warcraft. His Wizards position placed him over publishing and development for Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and Hasbro’s digital gaming operations.
The transition comes as Hasbro reduces its planned spending on videogames. The company recently recorded a $56 million impairment tied to several canceled projects that had been planned for 2028 and later. One of those projects was a Dungeons & Dragons game from Stig Asmussen’s Giant Skull studio.
Hasbro also previously announced a large-scale GI Joe game in 2021. Its status became less clear after reports about trouble at Atomic Arcade, although Hasbro said earlier in 2026 that the project had not been canceled.
Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said the company expected 2026 to be its peak year for digital investment. He also said Hasbro wanted to cut its digital spending by at least 25% by 2028. Hight’s responsibilities included original and licensed videogames based on Hasbro’s wider brand portfolio, alongside the company’s tabletop properties.
Wizards said it was “deeply grateful for [Hight’s] leadership and the contributions he’s made to our teams and our games during his tenure.” The company added that Hight would continue supporting Wizards as an adviser while pursuing other creative and professional opportunities.
Wizards also said there was no change to the strength of its business. The company said Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons were performing well, and that its 2027 videogame lineup remained on track. That slate includes Exodus and Warlock.
The company has begun an internal and external search for Hight’s successor. Until September 1, he will continue in the president role before moving into the advisory position.
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