Hasbro’s Sigil 3D Virtual Tabletop Shuttered, Team Gutted, Plans Integrated into D&D Beyond

Hasbro’s ambitious foray into the 3D virtual tabletop (VTT) space, Sigil, is reportedly being shut down after years of development and a troubled public playtest. The project, initially envisioned as a revolutionary standalone platform, will now be integrated, in some form, into D&D Beyond’s existing virtual tabletop system, Maps. The news comes alongside significant layoffs within the Sigil development team, casting a shadow over the future of digital Dungeons & Dragons experiences.

According to Rascal News, an internal message circulated among Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) employees confirms the fate of Sigil. The message states that Sigil will "transition to a DDB feature," with efforts made to release currently developed content to users at no additional cost. However, this transition comes at a steep price: "most of the Sigil team will be separated from the company this week."

The message, as reported, reflects a strategic shift following months of alpha testing. "After several months of alpha testing, we’ve concluded that our aspirations for Sigil as a larger, standalone game with a distinct monetization path will not be realized," the message purportedly reads. Despite the setback, the message attempts to frame the project as a learning experience. "Although we haven’t fully realized our vision for Sigil to scale, the team should be proud of their achievements."

io9 has reached out to Wizards of the Coast for official confirmation of both the message and the layoffs, but has yet to receive a response. However, independent confirmation has emerged from within the Sigil team. Andy Collins, Sigil design lead and WOTC game rules specialist, shared a LinkedIn post detailing the layoffs, stating that approximately 30 people, representing around 90% of the development team, were affected.

The demise of Sigil marks a significant turn of events for a project that was initially presented with considerable fanfare. Wizards of the Coast publicly unveiled Project Sigil in the summer of 2024, showcasing a gamified VTT system built on Unreal Engine 5. The platform promised players and Dungeon Masters the ability to create customizable, fully 3D maps and environments for immersive gameplay. In addition to its map-building capabilities, Sigil boasted access to high-quality D&D character models, including popular characters like Astarion and Karlach from the critically acclaimed video game Baldur’s Gate 3. The inclusion of these recognizable figures was clearly an attempt to capitalize on the game’s viral success and attract a broader audience.

However, the initial excitement surrounding Sigil quickly waned as Wizards of the Coast struggled to deliver compelling public demonstrations. The culmination of these challenges came with the launch of a publicly accessible playtest for D&D Beyond’s Master Tier subscribers just last month. The playtest, intended to showcase Sigil’s potential, was instead met with widespread criticism. While the platform boasted impressive visuals, users reported a litany of bugs, significant user accessibility issues, and a general lack of features compared to the ambitious vision Wizards had initially presented.

The playtest feedback painted a picture of a system that was visually appealing but functionally incomplete and riddled with problems. This negative reception undoubtedly played a role in the decision to pivot away from the standalone Sigil project.

Further reporting by Rascal sheds light on the internal struggles that plagued Sigil’s development. The report alleges that the project was hampered by a lack of clear vision and conflicting priorities within Hasbro’s upper management. Hasbro executives reportedly viewed Sigil less as a virtual tabletop platform and more as a standalone video game, potentially leveraging other intellectual properties from the company’s extensive toy portfolio. This difference in vision created tension between management and the development team, hindering progress and contributing to the project’s eventual downfall.

Adding to the internal challenges was a reported rift between Sigil’s developers and the D&D Beyond team, who were simultaneously developing the Maps VTT system. Allegedly, the D&D Beyond team denied the Sigil developers access to internal Beyond data, further complicating the development process and potentially contributing to the perceived limitations of Sigil’s feature set. This lack of collaboration likely fostered a sense of competition rather than cooperation, ultimately harming both projects.

Now, with a significantly reduced staff, the remaining Sigil team will reportedly collaborate with the D&D Beyond team to integrate whatever viable elements of Sigil’s vision can be salvaged into the existing Maps system. The extent to which Sigil’s features will be incorporated into D&D Beyond remains unclear. It is likely that the integration will focus on leveraging Sigil’s 3D map-building capabilities and character models, while potentially abandoning the more ambitious gamification aspects of the original project.

The closure of Sigil raises questions about the future of virtual tabletop experiences within the Dungeons & Dragons ecosystem. While D&D Beyond’s Maps system provides a functional alternative, it lacks the visual fidelity and immersive potential that Sigil initially promised. The decision to integrate Sigil’s assets into D&D Beyond suggests a desire to enhance the existing platform, but the extent to which the integration will recapture the original vision remains to be seen.

The layoffs within the Sigil development team also raise concerns about the future of digital development within Wizards of the Coast. The loss of experienced developers could potentially impact the company’s ability to innovate and compete in the rapidly evolving virtual tabletop market.

As Wizards of the Coast prepares to integrate Sigil’s remnants into D&D Beyond, the company faces the challenge of balancing its existing platform with the ambitions of the shuttered project. The company’s success in navigating this transition will determine the future of virtual tabletop experiences for Dungeons & Dragons players worldwide. The gaming community awaits further announcements from Wizards regarding their plans for the future of the D&D Beyond platform.