Wizards of the Coast Boss Talks Dungeons and Dragons MMORPG Ambitions

by

John Hight, President of Wizards of the Coast, expresses a strong interest in developing a new Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) based on Dungeons and Dragons. In a recent interview, he noted that the existing MMO format could benefit from modern updates. At present, however, there’s no official news about a new Dungeons and Dragons project in development.

In simpler terms, Chris Hight, who was previously an executive at Blizzard, became the president of Wizards of the Coast in July 2024. At Blizzard, he held positions such as executive producer and Vice President for World of Warcraft from around November 2011 to November 2021. Following this, he served as the general manager for the entire ‘Warcraft’ franchise for over two and a half years before transitioning to Wizards of the Coast.

Wizards of the Coast President Would ‘Love’ a Modern DnD MMO

In a conversation with GamesIndustry.biz, the topic of potentially creating another Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) based on Dungeons and Dragons was brought up, given the franchise’s increasing popularity and Hight’s personal affinity for the genre. He expressed enthusiasm about the idea but noted that such a project would necessitate Wizards of the Coast reconsidering what an MMO looks like in today’s world. Specifically, he suggested updating the traditional subscription model that was initially introduced by Ultima Online and Everquest, and later popularized by World of Warcraft, as something in need of modernization before moving forward with any concrete plans.

WotL’s Dungeons and Dragons MMO Ambitions Are Still in Their Infancy

While Hight is supportive and could approve the project, he emphasizes that the company’s plans for developing an MMORPG set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe are just starting out. He clarified that gathering the necessary talent, securing the required backend technology, and having detailed plans are essential steps yet to be accomplished before anything concrete can take shape. Nonetheless, Hight is optimistic about the group’s ability to make it happen, stating, “It’s a dream I have in mind. I want to see it become a reality.

As things stand now, Hight couldn’t provide any definite updates regarding a Dungeons and Dragons MMORPG. Even though Wizards of the Coast might be working on such a project, the reality is that major game productions typically require at least five years, if not more, to complete. Given the intricacy of a massive multiplayer online game, it could potentially take even longer.

I think that we’ll want to rethink what an MMO is in this day and age.

To this point, numerous efforts have been made to create a multiplayer online game based on the popular tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons. Among these attempts, one that’s still running strong is Neverwinter, developed by Cryptic Studios and launched in 2013. Similarly, Dungeons & Dragons Online continues to get updates and is poised to mark its 20th anniversary in the year 2026.

Read More

2025-09-07 22:08