In a press release on Nov. 10, Topps announced it was shutting down collectible miniature game company WizKids immediately. Topps bought WizKids for $29.5 million back in 2003.
The Topps Company announced today that WizKids will immediately cease operations and discontinue its product lines.
Scott Silverstein, CEO of Topps, said “This was an extremely difficult decision. While the company will still actively pursue gaming initiatives, we feel it is necessary to align our efforts more closely with Topps current sports and entertainment offerings which are being developed within our New York office.”
Upon notifying our partners, Topps will immediately pursue strategic alternatives so that viable brands and properties, including HeroClix, can continue without noticeable disruption. To that end, WizKids will continue supporting Buy it By the Brick redemptions for Arkham Asylum, and the December Organized Play events for HeroClix.
That’s odd given how WizKids was always touting how it had sold out this or that new HeroClix release at retail. Maybe they got hit by the oil price spike, or concerns that spending for thinks like collectible miniatures is about to crater (of course Upper Deck, meanwhile, is launching its World of Warcraft collectible miniatures game this week).