Hasbro has unveiled plans to open a game development studio in Canada for its iconic trading card game and role-playing subsidiary Wizards of the Coast. 

On track to open its doors in Montreal next summer, Wizards of the Coast Studios will focus on developing new video games set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, as well as supporting existing WOTC titles such as Magic: The Gathering Arena, Magic: The Gathering Online and D&D Beyond. 

Heading up the new studio will be former SVP of digital games Dan Ayoub, who has worked in exec-level roles at gamecos including Electronic Arts, Ubisoft and Microsoft’s 343 Industries. Ayoub says Montreal was the natural choice for location, given that the city is already home to more than 250 game studios and 15,000 talented developers. 

Montréal International and Investissement Québec are financially supporting Hasbro in this expansion, which is expected to create more than 200 jobs over the next three years.  

WOTC has been active in Montreal’s gaming ecosystem for the past six years, after the company acquired Invoke Studios (formerly Tuque Games) in 2019 for an undisclosed amount. The new studio is located beside Invoke’s headquarters in the heart of Montreal’s downtown core.