Wizards of the Coast Opens Montreal Studio to Expand D&D Content
Wizards of the Coast has announced the opening of a new studio in Montreal focused on developing fresh Dungeons & Dragons content and expanding the publisher’s catalog. The venture marks a strategic expansion for the Hasbro-owned company, pairing the magic of D&D with the city’s renowned creative ecosystem.
A veteran leader returns to a familiar city
The studio’s leadership is entrusted to Dan Ayoub, a longtime industry veteran who has worked with Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Disney and Microsoft. Recently promoted as director of the D&D franchise and general manager of Wizards of the Coast Studios Inc., Ayoub has long been a fan of the game. In a recent LinkedIn post, he noted that he continues to play D&D with the same group of friends he has kept since he was 12, underscoring his personal connection to the title and its community.
Montreal’s thriving game ecosystem supports the project
Montreal was a natural pick for the new studio eyes, given its reputation for talent, creativity and a deep love for interactive storytelling. Ayoub described the city as the right home base, citing the early spark of his own career in 1999 and the vibrant talent pipeline that has matured there. Montreal International’s Stéphane Paquet reaffirmed the city’s appeal, noting that the metropolis trains about 1,000 people each year for the video game industry, while the local ecosystem already houses roughly 250 studios and 15,000 professionals who have contributed to AAA titles.
Hasbro’s continued investment strengthens Quebec’s game sector
The arrival of Wizards of the Coast in Montreal signals Hasbro’s ongoing commitment to the Quebec gaming scene, at a moment when the industry has faced upheaval and waves of job cuts elsewhere. Émilien Roscanu, communications director for the Quebec Video Game Guild, highlighted the development as a sign of the sector’s lasting attractiveness and its ability to sustain employment in the region. The Montreal hub, along with Invoke and the new Wizards of the Coast studio, also positions the city as a key node in Hasbro’s global strategy.
A growing network of studios and a large D&D audience
Montreal’s status as a center of game development is reinforced by the broader corporate footprint in the city. Hasbro’s expansion sits alongside efforts from Gameloft, whose Montreal studio is reportedly working on a game set in the D&D universe. A 2024 study conducted by Gameloft with Léger found that 13.6 million Canadians have played D&D, including about 2.7 million players in Quebec, underscoring a substantial, engaged audience for new content and experiences.
What this means for players and the local community
The Montreal project is seen as a boon for both players and the broader development community. For players, the studio promises more official D&D experiences, potential cross-studio collaborations and a deeper pipeline of adventures and rule-content aligned with the franchise’s evolving narrative universe. For the local economy, the new studio adds to a growing employment base in a city already known for its creative industries, while supporting the ecosystem of studios, freelancers and education programs that feed talent into the game industry.
As Montreal cements its status as a major hub for tabletop and video game development, observers expect closer collaboration among studios, more internships and mentorship opportunities for aspiring designers, and a steady influx of new IP work that can bridge software, storytelling and traditional publishing—an alignment that could reshape the region’s future in the global gaming landscape.
