 Seeing the continued success of Pokémon and Magic : The Gathering , the game and toy giant Hasbro bought Wizards of the Coast in September 1999 , for about US $ 325 million . Hasbro had expressed interest in purchasing Wizards of the Coast as early as 1994 , and had been further impressed after the success of its Pokémon game . Avalon Hill was made a division of Wizards of the Coast , in late 1999 ; the company had been purchased by Hasbro in the summer of 1998 . 
