Hasbro Expands D&D, Transformers & Clue Beyond Games Into Books, Cards, Collectibles

Hasbro is moving its biggest brands beyond toys and games. The company has new book series for Clue and Ouija, a mini card collection for My Little Pony, and expanded publishing for Dungeons & Dragons.

Screen Rant reports two exclusive reveals. First, Hasbro is working with Little Bee Books and its BuzzPop imprint on two four-book series. "Clue: Junior Mysteries" is a chapter book series for ages 6 to 9. Ouija will become a paranormal middle-grade horror series for ages 9 to 12. Both are scheduled between summer 2027 and spring 2028.

Second, the "My Little Pony x Kayou Special Mini Card Collection Series 1" will launch in the U.S. in January 2027 and across Europe, the Middle East and Africa in February 2027. The cards are about half the size of a regular trading card.

Marianne James, Hasbro's Senior Vice President of Global Licensing, told Screen Rant that the company is not interested in being everywhere just for the sake of being everywhere. "The right opportunity should give fans something they couldn't get from the brand before," she said.

"Fans today don't experience their favorite brands in just one place, and we don't think about our franchises that way either."

Dungeons & Dragons already has a wide publishing slate, including novels, cookbooks, encyclopedias, and coloring books. One example is T. Kingfisher's "Baldur's Gate 3: Astarion" novel, which follows the character before the events of the game. Upper Deck is producing premium trading cards and collectibles for Transformers, Power Rangers, G.I. Joe, M.A.S.K., and Jem and the Holograms. Hasbro Games is expanding its Tonies audio lineup with Monopoly, Guess Who?, and The Game of Life.

James emphasized that each franchise needs its own approach. "It always starts with the brand," she said. The company looks at what fans love most and then asks which format can best expand that experience in an authentic way.

The Energon Universe from Skybound, which brings together Transformers and G.I. Joe in comics, has sold more than 7.6 million units, according to figures provided by Hasbro. Transformers accounts for 3.5 million units. James called that success a sign of pairing iconic franchises with strong creative vision.

James pushed back on the idea that smaller projects are simply tests for bigger investments. She prefers to think of them as learning opportunities. "Every new expression of a franchise can teach us something about what audiences are connecting with," she said.

Before extending a franchise, Hasbro identifies what is fundamental to it. For My Little Pony, that is friendship, creativity and self-expression. For Clue, it is mystery and deduction. "What can evolve, and what can't you lose?" James asked.

Outside partners are critical to Hasbro's strategy. James said the most successful collaborations happen when a partner applies its unique expertise to a franchise in a way that feels both authentic and unexpected.

James believes labels like "toy brand" or "game brand" matter less as franchises move between categories. "The strongest franchises aren't defined by a category, they're defined by the connections they create," she said.

• Clue
• collectibles
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Hasbro
• Little Bee Books
• Marianne James
• My Little Pony
• Ouija
• Transformers
• Upper Deck