Sigil Team Decimated: Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast Lays Off Majority of Development Team

The story surrounding Wizards of the Coast’s Sigil virtual tabletop (VTT) has taken a darker turn, revealing a development cycle marred by corporate miscommunication and a fundamental misunderstanding of the platform’s purpose. Following recent layoffs that decimated the Sigil team, a report from Rascal News sheds light on the internal struggles that led to this outcome.

The layoffs, first reported by former senior writer Andy Collins on LinkedIn, were confirmed by Rascal News, which obtained an internal memo detailing the company’s decision. The memo reveals that Wizards of the Coast concluded that Sigil’s “aspirations for a larger, standalone game with a distinct monetization path” were unattainable. Consequently, the majority of the development team was laid off, and Sigil will now transition into a feature within D&D Beyond.

Sigil, designed to allow players to create immersive 3D virtual game boards for remote D&D sessions, launched in early access on February 28th as a perk for D&D Beyond subscribers. However, the launch was met with lukewarm reviews, highlighting limitations and technical issues.

The news of the layoffs broke on March 18th via a LinkedIn post from Andy Collins, Sigil’s design lead. “Today, approximately 30 talented developers (90 percent of the team) were laid off from the Sigil (virtual tabletop) team at Wizards of the Coast, including yours truly,” Collins wrote. He expressed disappointment but also wished his former colleagues well and voiced support for the remaining team members tasked with maintaining the platform.

Monetization Missteps and Corporate Misunderstandings:

The memo points to the core issue: Sigil failed to achieve the desired monetization goals. However, Rascal News’ anonymous source paints a picture of a project plagued by corporate mismanagement and a lack of understanding.

“Hasbro treated Sigil like a video game instead of a VTT, and at no point cared to understand the difference,” the source revealed. This fundamental misunderstanding led to unrealistic expectations, with Hasbro reportedly expecting Sigil to generate revenue similar to Magic: The Gathering or Baldur’s Gate 3 “simply by existing.”

 

When Sigil failed to meet these unrealistic expectations, the company reportedly “pushed Sigil out of the nest and were uninterested if it managed to fly before crashing to earth.”

Key Takeaways:

Monetization Failure: Sigil’s inability to achieve its intended monetization goals was a primary driver for the layoffs.
Corporate Misunderstanding: Hasbro reportedly treated Sigil as a video game, failing to grasp the nuances of a VTT platform.
Lack of Vision: Leadership failed to provide clear direction for the project’s future.
Poor Communication: The development cycle was plagued by miscommunication and a lack of transparency.
Sigil’s New Role: Sigil will now be integrated as a feature within D&D Beyond.
The revelations from Rascal News paint a disheartening picture of a promising project derailed by corporate missteps and a lack of understanding. The future of Sigil remains uncertain, but the impact of these decisions on the D&D community is undeniable.