While the company’s fourth-quarter sales were lower than expected, Magic: The Gathering sales surpassed $1 billion for the first time, according to a financial report provided by Hasbro earlier today.
Hasbro had a difficult fourth quarter of 2022, which included firing over 1,000 people and fighting with the Dungeons & Dragons community over the Open Gaming licence and the MTG community over the Magic30 booster packs. Even the company’s stock fell during 2022. Yet, sales of Magic: The Gathering tabletop merchandise were unusually strong all year long. According to Hasbro, the trading card game generated over $1 billion in sales alongside MTG Arena for the first time ever.
Each of the MTG Standard-legal sets that were released in 2022 set records by exceeding $100 million in revenue, while the supplemental set Warhammer 40K Universes Beyond Commander decks were reprinted three times to meet the demand from players.
“As we announced previously, our fourth quarter and full-year 2022 results came in below our expectations,” Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said. “Despite this, we delivered our first billion-dollar brand in Magic: The Gathering and another record year at Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming, we grew key investment areas including licensing and direct-to-consumer, and we improved adjusted operating profit margin.”
Hasbro is on a solid path to once again break the $1 billion mark for 2023 with MTG. The completion of the Phyrexian arc wraps up with Phyrexia: All Will Be One and March of the Machine. And a supplemental micro set called March of the Machine: The Aftermath is slated to drop in March.
The Universes Beyond supplemental sets are stacked as well through The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle Earth (releasing through digital and tabletop), along with the Dr. Who Commander decks.