WizKids

WizKids is an American tabletop-game company established in 2000 by Jordan Weisman, a veteran of FASA. It first became prominent through Mage Knight, a collectible miniatures game that introduced a commercially influential format in which players assembled forces from randomized figures and used a rotating dial in each figure’s base to track combat statistics and abilities. The company’s Clix system subsequently became most closely associated with HeroClix, a licensed superhero and pop-culture miniatures line that remains its best-known property. The company began as a distributed operation involving staff in several states before opening an office in Bellevue, Washington, in 2001. Early leadership and family contributors included Dawne Weisman, who worked in graphic design; Mort Weisman, who managed international sales; Ray Wehrs, who handled domestic sales; and Jenny Berg, who led marketing. As Mage Knight gained traction, WizKids expanded its workforce and pursued licensing, merchandising, and game-development opportunities. Marc Sachnoff played an important role in developing licensing arrangements that brought Marvel and DC characters into the HeroClix product family. WizKids broadened its portfolio beyond collectible miniatures. It released the constructible strategy game Pirates of the Spanish Main in 2004, followed by products such as Rocketmen and NASCAR RaceDay. It entered collectible card games with High Stakes Drifter and a Battlestar Galactica title, and developed board games including Tsuro, Oshi, Pirates: Quest for Davy Jones’ Gold, and the Mage Knight Board Game. The company also published or licensed games connected with properties such as MechWarrior, Shadowrun, Star Trek, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Battlestar Galactica, and Dungeons & Dragons. Some lines were short-lived, while others were canceled before release or discontinued after limited commercial runs. In 2003, sports-card manufacturer The Topps Company acquired WizKids. Under Topps, the company continued producing HeroClix, Mage Knight-related products, and other licensed games. Topps announced in November 2008 that it intended to close WizKids and discontinue several product lines, including HeroClix, while also stating that it was exploring alternatives that could preserve the brands. In September 2009, NECA acquired WizKids’ assets from Topps and continued the HeroClix business under the WizKids name. The transaction did not include the Shadowrun and BattleTech properties, which remained with Topps. After the NECA acquisition, WizKids continued to develop collectible miniatures, dice-building games, board games, and licensed tabletop products. HeroClix organized play became a recurring part of the brand’s community strategy. Beginning with The Infinity Gauntlet in 2012, WizKids introduced Storyline Organized Play programs in which local stores hosted linked events culminating in a larger finale. Themes included Marvel’s Fear Itself, DC’s No Man’s Land, and Star Trek’s The Dominion War. The company also expanded into dice-building through Quarriors! and Dice Masters, and into role-playing and adventure games including Dungeons & Dragons miniatures and Dungeons & Dragons Onslaught. WizKids operates as a NECA subsidiary and is not publicly listed. Its business combines original designs with licenses from entertainment, comics, sports, science-fiction, fantasy, and role-playing properties. Its principal market identity is built around collectible, character-driven tabletop games, especially products that combine physical figures with accessible rules, recognizable intellectual property, and recurring expansion releases.

WizKids was founded in 2000 by Jordan Weisman, formerly associated with FASA, to publish Mage Knight. The company’s early model combined collectible figures with a rules system built around rotating combat dials. This approach allowed each miniature to carry changing combat values and abilities and helped distinguish WizKids from conventional miniature manufacturers. Initially, the company operated virtually, with employees distributed across Washington, Illinois, and Missouri. Growth in Mage Knight sales led to the establishment of a Bellevue, Washington, office in 2001 and to a workforce of more than 30 people. The early organization included family members and experienced executives responsible for design, sales, marketing, finance, and operations. Licensing became central to the business, particularly after the development of HeroClix, which used the Clix mechanism with characters from Marvel and DC Comics. WizKids experimented with several collectible miniatures games, including MechWarrior, HorrorClix, Crimson Skies, Shadowrun Duels, Creepy Freaks, and MLB SportsClix. Some projects were discontinued quickly, and ToonClix was announced in 2006 but canceled before release. The company also developed new tabletop formats. Pirates of the Spanish Main, released in 2004, used punch-out styrene cards to build miniature ships and established the constructible strategy game category. Rocketmen and NASCAR RaceDay followed, although both had short commercial lives. Later products incorporating similar construction elements were marketed as PocketModel games, including Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean releases. The company entered adjacent categories during the middle of the decade. High Stakes Drifter became its first collectible card game in 2005, although it ended after its initial set. A Battlestar Galactica collectible card game followed in 2006. WizKids also released board games such as Tsuro, Oshi, and Pirates: Quest for Davy Jones’ Gold. It held rights connected with Shadowrun and Classic BattleTech and licensed those role-playing properties to FanPro in 2001. Other projects, such as Zypods, received only limited distribution. Topps acquired WizKids in 2003. The acquisition placed the tabletop publisher within a larger company known primarily for sports and entertainment cards. WizKids continued to develop licensed properties and its core HeroClix and Mage Knight lines. In November 2008, Topps announced that it planned to close WizKids and discontinue products including HeroClix. The announcement also described efforts to find alternatives that would allow important brands to continue. NECA became the successor owner of the WizKids assets in September 2009. The sale preserved the HeroClix business and enabled continued releases under the WizKids identity. Shadowrun and BattleTech were not part of the assets sold and remained with Topps. Under NECA, WizKids continued to produce collectible miniatures and expanded its portfolio through board games, dice-building games, licensed properties, and role-playing products. A notable community-development initiative was Storyline Organized Play. Starting with The Infinity Gauntlet in 2012, players could participate in monthly store events that contributed to a larger narrative and finale. Later themes included Marvel’s Fear Itself, DC’s No Man’s Land, and Star Trek’s The Dominion War. This format connected product releases with in-store play and encouraged repeat participation. WizKids’ later catalog has included HeroClix lines based on Marvel, DC, Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and other properties; the Quarriors! dice-building game; Dice Masters products; Star Trek and fantasy board games; and Dungeons & Dragons miniatures and adventure games. The brand remains a NECA tabletop-gaming subsidiary, with a business model centered on collectible components, licensed entertainment properties, expandable game systems, and hobby-store communities.

• 2012

  Storyline Organized Play begins

  [1]WizKidsen.wikipedia.org

  WizKids introduces linked in-store events beginning with The Infinity Gauntlet.

• 2009

  NECA acquires WizKids assets

  [1]WizKidsen.wikipedia.org

  NECA acquires the assets and continues HeroClix and other WizKids activities.

• 2008

  Topps announces planned closure

  [1]WizKidsen.wikipedia.org

  Topps announces plans to close WizKids while considering ways to preserve properties such as HeroClix.

• 2004

  Pirates of the Spanish Main launches

  [1]WizKidsen.wikipedia.org

  WizKids introduces a constructible strategy game using punch-out components to assemble miniature ships.

• 2003

  Topps acquisition

  [1]WizKidsen.wikipedia.org

  The Topps Company acquires WizKids.

• 2001

  First permanent office opens

  [1]WizKidsen.wikipedia.org

  The previously distributed company establishes an office in Bellevue, Washington, as Mage Knight drives expansion.

• 2000

  WizKids is founded

  [1]WizKidsen.wikipedia.org

  Jordan Weisman establishes WizKids and develops Mage Knight as the company’s initial major product.

A licensed and original tabletop-game publisher specializing in collectible miniatures, character-driven strategy games, organized play, and hobby products.

• Collectible miniatures game

  HeroClix

  WizKids’ signature collectible miniatures system uses figures mounted on rotating combat dials. Players collect and field characters whose statistics and abilities change as they take damage. The line has included extensive Marvel and DC ranges as well as properties such as Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and other licensed universes.

• Collectible miniatures game · 2000

  Mage Knight

  Mage Knight was WizKids’ founding major product and is widely associated with the company’s early success. It used collectible fantasy miniatures and the Clix combat-dial mechanism. The property later expanded into a board game and related books and guides.

• Dice-building game

  Quarriors!

  Quarriors! is a dice-building game in which players acquire and roll custom dice representing creatures, spells, and other game elements. It extended WizKids’ collectible-game expertise into a format based on dice pools rather than miniature figures.

• Dice-building game

  Dice Masters

  Dice Masters applies collectible dice-building mechanics to licensed settings and recognizable characters. WizKids released versions associated with Marvel, DC, Dungeons & Dragons, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and WWE, supported by expansions, campaign boxes, and team packs.

• Licensed miniatures and accessories

  Dungeons & Dragons miniatures

  WizKids produces painted and unpainted fantasy miniatures and related tabletop accessories for Dungeons & Dragons. These products serve role-playing groups, collectors, and hobby painters, and commonly cover player characters, monsters, scenery, and adventure-specific subjects.

• Constructible strategy game · 2004

  Pirates of the Spanish Main

  This 2004 game introduced WizKids’ constructible strategy format. Players punched ship components from styrene cards and assembled them into playable miniature vessels, combining collectible distribution with fleet-building and tactical naval play.

• Board game · 2004

  Tsuro

  Tsuro is a tile-based board game in which players extend paths across a shared board while attempting to keep their own markers in play and force opponents into collisions or off-board movement. It represents WizKids’ broader board-game portfolio beyond collectible systems.

• Tactical skirmish game

  Dungeons & Dragons Onslaught

  Dungeons & Dragons Onslaught is a tactical tabletop skirmish game using adventuring parties, character abilities, miniatures, and scenario-based combat. It connects WizKids’ miniature production with the tactical fantasy setting of Dungeons & Dragons.

• 2012Storyline Organized Play

  United States · Canada · International hobby retail

  WizKids created a recurring organized-play format in which local stores hosted monthly events tied to an overarching narrative. Participants could receive rewards for attending multiple events before a concluding finale. Storylines included The Infinity Gauntlet, Fear Itself, No Man’s Land, and The Dominion War.

  Outcome. The program became a continuing community and retail-support mechanism, with later iterations adjusted by WizKids.

  Source

• 2009

  NECA acquires WizKids assetsM&A

  Background

  The acquisition followed Topps’ announced plan to discontinue WizKids operations and key product lines.

  Action taken

  NECA purchased the WizKids assets from Topps and retained the HeroClix business under the WizKids name.

  Aftermath

  Shadowrun and BattleTech were excluded and remained with Topps, while WizKids continued as a NECA tabletop-gaming subsidiary.

  Source

• 2008

  Topps announces planned closure of WizKidsStrategy

  Background

  Topps announced that it intended to close WizKids and discontinue products including HeroClix.

  Action taken

  Topps announced the planned shutdown while stating that it was pursuing alternatives that might allow important brands to continue without a major interruption.

  Aftermath

  The announced closure did not end the brand. NECA subsequently acquired WizKids’ assets and continued HeroClix.

  Source

• 2003

  Topps acquires WizKidsM&A

  Background

  WizKids had expanded rapidly through collectible miniatures, licensing, and adjacent tabletop formats.

  Action taken

  The Topps Company purchased WizKids and incorporated the tabletop publisher into its broader sports- and entertainment-card business.

  Aftermath

  WizKids continued developing HeroClix, Mage Knight-related products, and other licensed games under Topps ownership.

  Source

1. 1WizKidsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WizKids official websitewizkids.com