So much for retirement: Doug Bowser has jumped from Nintendo to Hasbro

After retiring from Nintendo at the end of 2025 (like, literally the last day), Doug Bowser has joined Hasbro’s Board of Directors.

The gaming community was happy to see Bowser leave Nintendo since his decisions with the Nintendo Switch 2 felt greedy to many. From a console tutorial that costs money to raising game prices to $80, it’s safe to say that many of his changes weren’t appreciated by the Nintendo fanbase.

But it looks like Bowser isn’t hiding in his castle after all.

Hasbro announces Doug Bowser on Board of Directors

Bowser is joining Hasbro along with Carla Vernon, the previous CEO of The Honest Company, on the Board of Directors. Hasbro is the brand that owns Wizards of the Coast, Transformers, and other popular toy IPs.

“We are delighted to have Doug and Carla join our seasoned and dynamic Board of Directors,” said Rich Stoddart, chair of Hasbro’s board.

“Doug and Carla bring extensive leadership experience across consumer brands and franchise management. Their expertise and guidance will be invaluable as Hasbro continues to execute its long-term innovation and growth strategy.”

Hasbro’s CEO, Chris Cocks, noted that the two will have “deep expertise” in building “iconic brands.” He also said they will “drive innovation and transformation,” which gamers may find a bit more questionable.

“Their leadership will be invaluable as we continue to execute our Playing To Win strategy and deliver extraordinary play experiences to fans around the world,” Cocks said.

The reaction on social media was unsurprisingly unwelcoming. Gamers said they thought Bowser was retiring, while others wondered why companies keep hiring the same leaders over and over. Especially ones that are seen as unpopular and unsuccessful to gamers.

“He didn’t shit for Nintendo, he won’t do shit for Hasbro,” stated one skeptic.

Added another: “Ugh… Here we go again. Now our toys are gonna be low quality [yet] worth more than a Lamborghini.”

However, there was possibly one silver lining.

“Joins Hasbro and convinces them to release Baldur’s Gate 3 on Switch 2. What a move by Bowser,” said one gamer on Reddit.