Disney Announces Re-Shaping Of Its Disney & Pixar Games Strategy

Recently I recorded a podcast episode, where we talked about how something didn’t seem right with Disney’s mobile games, since so many games are being closed down and very little being announced, either new games or events.

And it looks like there was a reason for the slow down, as during the Casual Connect USA 2018 Conference keynote address, Kyle Laughlin, SVP of Games & Interactive Experiences at Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, unveiled several new development and publishing partners for upcoming Disney and Pixar mobile games. The announcement was made during a presentation about Disney’s effort to re-shape the Disney and Pixar games portfolio.

Disney is collaborating with leading mobile game developers, PerBlue, Ludia, Glu and Gameloft to bring to market new, multi-franchise interactive experiences in a wide variety of genres. More details about these games will be shared in the coming months.

Fans can expect these experiences, along with other upcoming Disney mobile and console games, to bring the best Disney and Pixar characters and stories together, on platforms where they are playing. The team is focused on bringing fans games that can be played for multiple years, and can be expanded with new and classic content for years to come.

In his keynote, Laughlin also spoke about the importance of developing great games that offer players new interpretations of their favorite Disney franchises, stressing the importance of bringing characters to life in authentic and unexpected ways. Laughlin said that his team is committed to allowing time for products to grow while they listen to players and invest in games with a long-term view of success.

My Take:  This does make sense, Disney tried making lots of their own mobile games following the success of some of their titles, but it means Disney has once again shown they don’t seem to understand games for mobiles and consoles.  It does look like Disney will follow the strategy of its Marvel Games department, which has been very successful with less titles but with constant updates.

What do you think of the change?