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The video game industry is in massive flux right now. But gaming giant Wizards of the Coast is hoping to carry over its success in the tabletop gaming arena with Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering into the world of video games. Case in point: Wizards hired 15 staff members from the recently shuttered Cliffhanger Games, who had been working on a now-canceled Black Panther video game. 

In an interview with Knowledge, Wizards of the Coast president John Hight shared that the team from Cliffhanger Games will now be working on a new project for Wizards. At the same time, Hight shared excitement for a D&D video game that's in development with director Stig Asmussen, best known for the Star Wars: Jedi games. Hight said, "It's pretty unique to find brands that can make that transition, that can survive through generations, and a lot of it is through evolution within a genre. For us, it's always [about] where the next great ideas are. Because if we can couple innovative gameplay with a beloved IP then I think that's the formula for success – or at least it minimizes the risks."

At the same time, the existing success of brands like D&D has given space for Wizards of the Coast to develop new franchises, chiefly through their Digital Ventures branch. Hight described Digital Ventures as "an incubation space" that will eventually "give birth to a new franchise." 

So while other parts of the video game industry are traversing through uncertain times, it looks like Wizards of the Coast and parent company Hasbro have confidence in the futures of their brands. It'll be interesting to see how the landscape will change over the next 5 to 10 years. 

The gaming industry has come a long way since Pong blew all our minds in the 70s. We've got everything you need to know about the next big thing in games. Of course, Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be the big game of 2026, but there are plenty of other games coming out between now and then. Here is our starter guide for every gamer:

• All upcoming games in 2025 and beyond
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And be sure to check Popverse regularly for the latest gaming news.