Hasbro logoMagic… Magic… Magic…

Such was the refrain this week during Hasbro’s earnings conference call. Overall, the company’s first quarter revenues were up 5 percent compared to 2014 (14 percent before foreign exchange impact). And certainly that wasn’t all due to Magic: The Gathering. The boys category was up 10 percent and preschool (mostly Play-Doh) up 22 percent. Across categories, revenue from franchise brands grew 20 percent.

The girls category was down 16 percent, that attributed mostly to a drop in Furby sales.

But gamer or not, one couldn’t help but notice the attention that Magic received or the interest of analysts in how fans were responding to the new release schedule. Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner, who also revealed that MtG experienced double-digit growth in the latest quarter, stated:

Thus far in the year, the engagement with fans and enthusiasts, the tournament play, and our effort and commitment to continue to improve the online experience with Magic: The Gathering is front and center at the company. It’s something we’re investing in. We think Magic long term has incredible growth potential and we’re just scratching the surface of the opportunity with that brand.

In the category—overall up 7 percent—Goldner described other games as “generally flatish”, except for Dungeons & Dragons, which is “really on a tear”.

Our first quarter performance reinforces that our strategy and approach to brand building is working. For the full-year, our teams are delivering innovative brands and executing against a robust entertainment slate, while facing a difficult foreign exchange environment. As we continue to invest around our brand blueprint, beginning with consumer insights to develop the right innovation and storytelling to engage the consumer across all forms and formats, the Hasbro team is delivering truly differentiated and compelling play experiences for consumers around the world.