It all started with a simple tweet: “How much is Hasbro?” (How much does Hasbro cost?). This seemingly innocuous question was enough to cause the company’s stock to jump 2%, demonstrating once again the billionaire’s considerable influence on the markets.
The reason for this sudden attention for Hasbro ? Recent developments in Dungeons & Dragonsnotably the abandonment of the term “race” in favor of “species” and the inclusion of characters from minorities, provoked the ire of American conservatives. Jason Tondro, D&D project manager at Hasbro, explained these changes as a desire to expand the game universe to make it more inclusive. A direction that seems unbearable in the eyes of Elon Musk.
How much is Hasbro?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2024
After X and video games, Elon Musk tackles pop culture
Hasbro’s potential acquisition would represent much more than just control of D&D. With a market capitalization of $9 billionthe company has an impressive portfolio of cult franchises, including Transformers, My Little Ponyor even Monopoly. Without forgetting the recent phenomenal success of Baldur’s Gate 3developed under the D&D license, which brought in $90 million in licensing fees.
This possible acquisition is part of a broader project by Elon Musk. The billionaire has in fact announced his intention to create a video game studio under the banner of his start-up xAI. His slogan? “Make games great again”, an obvious nod to Donald Trump’s famous slogan.
Elon Musk’s plans for Hasbro, if they come to fruition, could include integrating innovative technologies like artificial intelligence and augmented reality into traditional games. However, this prospect worries many longtime fans, who fear seeing their favorite franchises become the playground for the billionaire’s ideological experiments.
- Elon Musk considers buying Hasbro, causing the company’s stock to rise 2%
- Its main motivation: to counter the “woke” direction taken by Dungeons & Dragons in recent years
- The potential acquisition is part of a broader strategy including the creation of an “anti-woke” video game studio
