Disney Infinity moves 3 million starter packs

by Thomas Schulenberg on Jan 18th 2014 12:00PM

Disney Infinity may have been named as a reference to its own potential revenue - The New York Times reports that Disney Interactive has sold three million Disney Infinity Starter Packs, which include figurines of three Disney characters and the game itself. Infinity was also the tenth best-selling game of 2013, according to data from the NPD Group.

Activision's Skylanders Swap Force, Infinity's main competition, was not one of the top 10 best-selling games of 2013, but the Skylanders series' revenue from retail sales surpassed $1.5 billion earlier this year. Consoles have received annual installments of the Skylanders franchise since its introduction with Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure.

Plans to expand Infinity's cast have resulted in new figurines for Disney's Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph and Tangled films, with references to classic moments from past films being recreated in Infinity's Toy Box mode. With Infinity's introduction doubling Disney Interactive's fourth-quarter earnings, Infinity's play set is likely to keep expanding. Future additions might not be determined by developers though - only The Claw knows who will go and who will stay.

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Disney Infinity doubles quarterly earnings for Disney Interactive

by Danny Cowan on Nov 8th 2013 12:00PM

The release of Disney Infinity drove a 107-percent increase in fourth-quarter revenue for Disney's Interactive division, the company revealed in its quarterly financial report.

Disney notes that its Interactive division took in $396 million in revenue during the quarter ending September 28, 2013. Disney Interactive's revenue totaled $191 million during the fourth quarter of last year.

"Improved operating results for the quarter and year were due to increases at our console games and Japan mobile businesses," the report states. "The increase at our console games business was primarily due to the fourth quarter release of Disney Infinity."

The bounceback follows up on Disney Interactive's $54 million operating income loss in the second quarter of 2013. Disney Infinity represented a significant risk for the division, as parent company Disney passed on the opportunity to produce games based on the Iron Man and Star Wars franchises in order to focus on Infinity's development.

During a conference call this week, Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that more than one million Disney Infinity Starter Packs were sold across all available platforms since the game's release in August.

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Toy Story's claw machine among five toy boxes added to Disney Infinity

TOY BOX WEDNESDAY:
Disney Infinity Announces Five New Toy Boxes Created By The Disney Team!

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"Toy Story Claw" Toy Box
LONDON, UK – [27th November 2013] – Today Disney Interactive is giving players access to five new Disney-created Toy Boxes in appreciation for all of the support from the community. Check out the latest episode of the new web series, "The Disney Infinity Top 5 Toy Box Countdown," for a look at the complimentary Toy Boxes: http://youtu.be/67RF5Eo-5gY
To download new screenshots of each new Toy Box, please visit: www.dis-press.com
Details for each Toy Box are below:
· Toy Story Claw – Find the 10 lost aliens and return them to their ship! Drop them into a ESPN hoop for extra credit.

· Big Thunder – Race through a mine inspired by the classic Disneyland attraction Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

· Sky Gauntlet II – Play the sequel to the original Sky Gauntlet Toy Box ... with an even more challenging course!

· Toy Story Racer – Ready, set, to Infinity and beyond! Race the AI in this Toy Story in Space-themed racetrack.

· The Sky Trials – Test your courage and wisdom to finish puzzles and get rewarded.

How to download new Toy Boxes:
· Select "Toy Box" from the Disney Infinity Main Menu

· Select "Toy Box Share" and "Disney's Toy Boxes."

· There will be a list of all the featured Toy Boxes for players to download.

When you're ready to submit your Toy Box for consideration, follow these directions:
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U
· Bring up the Pause Menu and select "Online/Multiplayer."

· Then select "Toy Box Share" > "Disney's Toy Boxes" > "Submit to Disney."

· Follow the prompts. You'll be asked to give your Toy Box an original name and description. Choose carefully – they will be shown to everybody if your Toy Box is featured.

iPad
· Bring up the Pause Menu and select "Toy Box Share."

· Then select "Disney's Toy Boxes" > "Submit to Disney."

· Follow the prompts. You'll be asked to give your Toy Box an original name and description. Choose carefully – they will be shown to everybody if your Toy Box is featured

About Disney Infinity
Disney Infinity is an all-new video game initiative starring the beloved characters from Walt Disney and Pixar Studios' most popular franchises. Players can place real-world toy versions of favorite Disney characters onto a device called the Infinity Base and transport them into the virtual game worlds of Monsters University, the Incredibles, Cars, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lone Ranger and Toy Story, as well as into a giant Toy Box. Disney Infinity is available in stores now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Wii and 3DS.
For additional information, check out www.disney.com/Infinity and join the Disney Infinity Facebook Community www.facebook.com/disneyinfinity
For the latest video assets, please visit www.youtube.com/disneyinfinity
Press Contact:
victoria.vengco@disney.com

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Disney Infinity to add Wreck-It Ralph, Tangled, Frozen characters

-- Disney Interactive Releases Largest Line of New Characters Since August Debut Including Disney Infinity Figures From "Tangled," "Wreck-It Ralph" and "Frozen" --

-- 20 New Disney Infinity Power Discs Now Available --

LONDON, UK - [22nd November 2013] -

'Tis the season for Disney Infinity magic! With Christmas just weeks away, Disney Interactive is announcing its holiday line-up of Disney Infinity figures and Power Discs.

Among the exciting new character additions to the game's signature Toy Box mode are Rapunzel (from "Tangled"), Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope (from "Wreck-It Ralph") and Anna and Elsa (from the upcoming movie "Frozen") - all available in the UK from Friday, 29th November.

Key highlights of new characters include:

* Rapunzel: With her beautiful long locks, fierce determination and signature frying pan, "Tangled's" Rapunzel is a powerful Princess, whose unique style of combat will add exciting new creative play options to the Toy Box.

* Wreck-It Ralph: The classic 8-bit character is making an appearance in a new video game! Ralph uses his wrecking abilities and 8-bit Cherry Bombs to defeat enemies in Toy Box.

* Vanellope: The Sugar Rush racer brings her amazing Glitch ability that will allow her to teleport short distances and glitch out characters that come in contact with her in Toy Box.

* Frozen Toy Box Pack: Featuring Anna, Elsa and two hexagonal power discs, these characters deliver girl power to the Toy Box in a big way. Anna will use her grappling hook to get to hard-to-reach places and use her shovel to defeat enemies. Elsa will utilize her magical ice abilities, such as using the Freeze Ball to stop opponents in their tracks.

In addition, from today 20 new Power Discs are available in the UK, including three new "rare" versions featuring the "Electric Mayhem Bus" from the world of The Muppets, the "Condor Wing Glider" and Captain Hook's ship from the classic Disney Parks ride. Circular Power Discs give characters special power-ups that can be used in both Play Sets and Toy Box. Hexagonal Power Discs unlock special gadgets, vehicles and themes in the Toy Box.

The full list of new Power Discs includes:

-- Circular Discs:

* Ralph's Power of Destruction - In-game character can increase melee damage.

* Dr. Doofenshmirtz's Damage-inator! - In-game character weapon can do more wide ranged damage.

* Electro-Charge - In-game character has a chance to gain more health.

* Star Command Shield - In-game character has a chance to receive less damage.

* User Control - In-game character has a chance to gain experience at a faster rate.

-- Hexagonal Discs:

* Flamingo Croquet Mallet - Spawn a Flamingo croquet mallet from "Alice in Wonderland" inside the Toy Box.

* Frankenweenie

* Victor's Experiments - Make all of the terrain objects in the Toy Box themed to the "Frankenweenie" film.

* New Holland Skyline - Make the sky in the Toy Box themed to the "Frankenweenie" film.

* Frozen

* Frozen Flourish - Make all of the terrain objects in the Toy Box themed to the "Frozen" film.

* Chill In The Air - Make the sky in the Toy Box themed to the "Frozen" film.

* Headless Horseman's Horse - Ride the Headless Horseman's Horse inside the Toy Box.

* Maximus - Ride Maximus from "Tangled" inside the Toy Box.

* Mike's New Car - Drive Mike Wazowski's vehicle inside the Toy Box.

* Nightmare Before Christmas

* Jack's Scary Decorations - Make all of the terrain objects in the Toy Box themed to the "Nightmare Before Christmas" film.

* Halloweentown Sky - Make the sky in the Toy Box themed to the "Nightmare Before Christmas" film.

* Pizza Planet Delivery Truck - Drive the Pizza Planet Delivery Truck from "Toy Story" inside the Toy Box.

* Hangin' Ten Stitch with Surfboard - Spawn a hover surfboard with Stitch on the front inside the Toy Box.

-- Rare Hexagonal Discs:

* Electric Mayhem Bus - Spawn the Electric Mayhem Bus from "The Muppets" inside the Toy Box.

* Condor Wing Glider - Spawn a glider pack that is Wings ala Condor Man inside the Toy Box.

* Hook's Ship from Peter Pan Ride - Spawn a flying airship themed after Captain Hook's ship inside the Toy Box.

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GameStop nabs Disney Infinity Jack Skellington figure

GameStop "Infinity Day": Celebrate the Arrival of Jack Skellington

Families and fans of Disney Infinity can come experience the joy of Disney Interactive's largest video-game to date as GameStop will be hosting "Infinity Day" to celebrate the release of the Jack Skellington figure. Jack Skellington is a timed-exclusive and can only be found at GameStop stores on October 5th. All U.S. GameStop locations will be hosting the event and in nearly 100 GameStop stores Nintendo team members will demo the game live.

The event includes:

• GameStop exclusive early access to Jack Skellington figure

• The first 50 customers will receive a free Jack Skellington poster

• Save $10 on the Disney Infinity official strategy guide when you buy a starter kit or Jack Skellington figure

• Swap "Power Discs" with fellow gamers

• Live game demo's (In select stores)

Visit http://www.gamestop.com/gs/landing/events/DisneyInfinityDay/Default.aspx for more information about events at participating stores.

Disney Infinity is available on the Nintendo 3DS, Wii™, Wii™ U, Xbox 360™ game and entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

For more information on Disney Infinity and the Jack Skellington figure please visit http://www.gamestop.com/collectibles/toys/disney-infinity-jack-skellington-figure/111380

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Disney Infinity WiiU New Images

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Disney Infinity Toy Box iPad app out now

Disney Interactive Unveils Disney Infinity: Toy Box App for iPad

Free app gives players a truly connected gaming experience to take Disney Infinity wherever they go

LONDON, UK. – (18th September 2013) – Disney Interactive today announced the availability of the Disney Infinity: Toy Box app for iPad, which gives players a fully playable version of the unique Toy Box mode from Disney Infinity. The app offers high-quality graphics and gameplay for tablet players, as well as unprecedented connectivity to Disney Infinity's console gaming experience.

With Disney Infinity: Toy Box, players can build and edit new Toy Boxes on their iPad. Players also have the ability to transfer any Toy Box they create between their iPad and console versions, allowing them to continue right where they left off, from any connected platform. When players sync their iPad Toy Box to their console game, they will be given instant access to even more props, toys and themes.

With Disney Infinity: Toy Box, players begin with Mr. Incredible as a free playable character, and have the option to unlock any of the additional characters available now through web codes included with figures at retail, or through in-app purchases.

Features of Disney Infinity: Toy Box include:

· Intuitive multi-touch controls for building and playing.

· More than 60 free items to build Toy Boxes – including terrain, track pieces and decorations.

· The ability to transfer Toy Boxes cross-platform for further editing/play.

· Items unlocked in a player's console Toy Box will become immediately available in the app.

· App is a full standalone experience and offers even more gameplay possibilities when connected to the console version.

Watch the new trailer for Disney Infinity: Toy Box here - http://youtu.be/oLNXUedMh1o

Disney Infinity: Toy Box is available on iPad 2, 3, 4 and iPad Mini in the App Store for free until 5th October.

About Disney Infinity

Disney Infinity is an all-new game platform that gives players the freedom to create stories and play experiences starring some of the most beloved characters from the Walt Disney Company and Pixar Animation Studios. Disney Infinity allows players to both experience original adventures in some of their favorite Disney and Pixar worlds and to build their own worlds using the power of their imagination in the "Toy Box" mode. The game is rated PEGI 7.

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Disney Infinity review: Dream it. Do it.

by Danny Cowan on Aug 19th 2013 1:00PM

Activision's Skylanders series is doing big business – big enough for the House of Mouse to take notice and develop a multi-million dollar competitor. The result, Disney Infinity, shares surface similarities with Activision's series, but its gameplay skews toward an older audience, in the hopes of capturing a universal appeal. Disney Infinity makes a lot of promises, boasting gameplay that takes cues from big-name hits like Minecraft and LittleBigPlanet. The finished product is a rousing success, offering lightweight but solid co-op gameplay built on a foundation of undiluted nostalgia. Disney Infinity is divided between the creation-focused Toy Box mode and Play Set mode, which offers a series of open-world platforming challenges. Gameplay is driven by sculpted figures that sit atop a USB-powered base. Characters that are placed on the base are given life in-game, complete with familiar animations, voices, and abilities.

Both Toy Box and Play Set modes take place from a third-person perspective and share similar gameplay mechanics. While the Skylanders games focus on combat, Disney Infinity takes a different approach, placing more of an emphasis on platforming. The result could frustrate some of Skylanders' younger fans, though adults will appreciate the added complexity.

Disney Infinity players can equip multiple Power Discs, which are physical, blind-boxed bits of plastic that stack underneath character figures and unlock new abilities and Toy Box toys. While the Toy Box bonuses are welcome, stat-boosting Power Discs have a negligible impact on gameplay, largely thanks to Disney Infinity's lack of difficulty or punishment for player death. They might be useful if you need an experience boost or some quick in-game cash, but Power Discs otherwise have very little use during gameplay, even when stacked for bonus buffs.

Toy Box mode comprises a large percentage of Disney Infinity's appeal. Starting in either a pre-built playground or a custom world, players can add terrain and all sorts of interactive elements to a non-canonical Disney universe filled with unlikely crossovers. Players can populate Aladdin's Cave of Wonders with a gang of Muppets, for example, or they can place Disneyland's Haunted Mansion next to Epcot's Spaceship Earth. Even if you have minimal knowledge of Disney movies and characters, you're bound to find a favorite among Toy Box's offerings, and mixing legacy Disney characters with modern-day faces has an unquestionable appeal.

Those who enjoy structureless sandbox games will get the most out of Toy Box mode, but its sheer breadth of content will win over pretty much anyone. Even if you lack the imagination or patience to create a world within Minecraft, Toy Box mode eases the creative process, making it a cinch to craft racetracks, platforms, and various oddball tributes to Disney's legacy.

Multiplayer shines in Toy Box mode. During one session, my partner built a replica of DuckTales' Killmotor Hill, topped with Scrooge McDuck's Money Bin and a small army of wandering Beagle Boys. On a nearby continent, I constructed the world's worst race track, filled with hairpin curves, huge dropoffs, and a finish line placed at the brink of a bottomless cliff. Despite their noble efforts, many Cars figures sacrificed their lives at the hands of Death Track, and it was hilarious.

While much of the content within Toy Box mode can be unlocked by completing Play Set missions, some of it is tied to specific figures. Unfortunately, players will need to purchase full sets of franchise-specific figures in order to access some of the best Toy Box elements (including pre-built Toy Box worlds, large themed structures, and toy characters) via Play Set Vaults. It's worth noting that the bulk of Skylanders' content can be accessed with just a handful of characters, while Disney Infinity's approach to unlockable content basically requires a full set of figures.

Disney Infinity's figure-collection aspect introduces a major drawback to its co-op component. While Toy Box mode is open to all characters, Play Sets are restricted to figures from their respective franchises – Sulley from Monsters University is unable to join the Incredibles Play Set, for instance. As Disney Infinity's Starter Pack only includes one character from each of its featured Play Sets, players will need to purchase several additional figures if they wish to join a partner for the duration of the game's campaign.

Gameplay within all of Disney Infinity's Play Sets is noticeably laid-back, compared to other open-world games. Exploring these worlds with a capable partner in co-op mode is especially enjoyable, as an experienced team can tackle multiple missions and objectives at once, turning gameplay into a satisfying conquest. Outside of challenges, players are free to explore on their own and pursue missions at their own pace, and are rarely at the mercy of their partner's actions.

All Play Sets are also distinct in style. The Incredibles Play Set focuses on open-world action and combat, while Pirates of the Caribbean features shooting mechanics and surprisingly in-depth ship navigation sequences between levels. Monsters University was my personal favorite Play Set, as it involves playing pranks on those uppity snobs at Fear Tech by toilet-papering their trees and tossing firecrackers in their windows.

Though all Play Sets offer a variety of simple, low-impact challenges, they're definitely targeted toward the youth market and pre-teens, in particular. Challenge is practically non-existent, and the lack of complexity may be a turnoff for those who are old enough to play other open-world games.

At the same time, Disney Infinity's challenges may prove too difficult for young children. The platforming challenges could be particularly frustrating, as they require much greater dexterity and coordination than what Skylanders demands. A parent-and-child team is an ideal setup for Disney Infinity, letting kids delegate platforming to adults while they focus on the simplified combat and exploration elements.

Adults who have a fondness for Disney will get the most out of Disney Infinity, thanks to its expansive Toy Box mode, and the Play Sets will provide hours of entertainment for kids who have prior experience with platformers. While the Play Sets may be a little too simple to be enjoyed by adults in single-player mode, they're a lot of fun with a co-op partner, as long as the both of you can revel in the fact that you're playing with childrens' toys. Despite some missteps, Disney Infinity does a solid job of appealing to a broad audience, and lives up to its lofty promises.

This review is based on the retail release of the Xbox 360 version of Disney Infinity, provided by Disney.

Joystiq's review scores are based on a scale of whether the game in question is worth your time -- a five-star being a definitive "yes," and a one-star being a definitive "no." Read here for more information on our ratings guidelines.

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Disney Infinity rustles up Toy Story set, makes new pals

by Sinan Kubba on Aug 12th 2013 12:00PM

Skylanders rival-to-be Disney Infinity unveiled 'Toy Story in Space' as its sixth play set, along with a whole bunch of new playable characters for the Toy Box mode. The game's play sets include physical figures that grant access to in-game worlds and stories, in this case the Toy Story universe. Buzz Lightyear and Jessie are the packed-in figures, while a Woody figure is available separately.

Infinity's Starter Pack, priced $75, includes the game, three play sets, and a figure for each one. Those sets are The Incredibles, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Monsters University, and they come with Mr. Incredible, Jack Sparrow, and Sully figurines.

As ever with toys, some play sets are sold separately, and Disney has announced three other additional play sets so far. They are Cars, The Lone Ranger, and the newly confirmed Toy Story in Space, each one adding around six to nine hours of gameplay and priced $35. Unlike the other two, Toy Story in Space won't be available when the game launches for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Wii, and 3DS later this week - it's scheduled for October.

Disney also announced new figures for the Toy Box mode, the game's communal sandbox where collected characters can be brought together for crossover antics. While we'd prefer Wreck-It Ralph to get his own launch play set, the big lug does feature as an additional Toy Box character along with co-star Vanellope. The other newbies are Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey from Fantasia, Tangled's Rapunzel, Phineas and Agent P from Phineas and Ferb, Anna and Elsa from upcoming film Frozen, and finally, maybe the pick of the bunch, The Nightmare Before Christmas' Jack Skellington. The newly announced Toy Box characters will roll out starting October through to next year. Disney Infinity
Unveils New Characters, Play Set at D23 Expo
SORCERER'S APPRENTICE MICKEY AND OTHER BELOVED DISNEY CHARACTERS TO BE INCLUDING IN GAMING PLATFORM

BURBANK, Calif. – August 11, 2013 – Today at the D23 Expo, Disney Interactive unveiled the latest additions to its all-star line-up of Disney Infinity, the company's largest and most ambitious gaming initiative to date, set to hit stores on August 18. The newly announced Toy Story in Space Play Set, featuring Buzz, Jessie and Woody, will become the sixth play set for Disney Infinity and is scheduled to be released in October. The company also announced the next wave of playable characters for the Disney Infinity Toy Box mode, including Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey, and characters from Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen and Phineas and Ferb. These new character figures will be rolled out beginning this October, through 2014.

Toy Story in Space Play Set
Toy Story in Space will be the sixth play set to be released in October and features Buzz and Jessie in the play set pack, with Woody sold separately. Players can go on a new space adventure with the Toy Story gang as they help to relocate the Pizza Planet Aliens to a new world. Explore and discover the secrets that lay below the surface of this new planet and unlock Space Ranger equipment to help defend the new colony and friends. The Toy Story in Space play set introduces hoverpacks, jetpacks, laser blasters, goo blasters, new mounts and more into the Toy Box mode. In Toy Box, players can build and customize worlds, and incorporate these new items into their interactions with other Disney and Pixar characters.

Toy Box Characters
The newest character figures announced today will be playable in the Toy Box mode and will also come with their own "Adventure." Each Adventure is unique to that character and allows them to play a short game. Players can invite friends to play through Adventures with them, with two players on split-screen or four players online.
· Just in time for Halloween: Jack Skellington from Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas"
· The first Disney Princess to be introduced into the Disney Infinity line-up: Rapunzel, from Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Tangled"
· Video game characters from a movie within a video game: Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope from Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Wreck-It Ralph"
· The first Disney Channel characters to be showcased in the Toy Box: Phineas and Agent P from the Disney Channel's "Phineas and Ferb"
· Keeping it cool: Anna and Elsa from the upcoming Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Frozen"
· Leader of the pack: Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey
About Disney Infinity
Disney Infinity is an all-new video game initiative starring the beloved characters from Walt Disney and Pixar Studios' most popular franchises. Players can place real-world toy versions of their favorite Disney characters onto a device called the Infinity Base and transport them into the virtual game worlds of Monsters University, the Incredibles, Cars, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lone Ranger, as well as into a giant Toy Box.

Disney Infinity is rated E-10+ by the ESRB. For additional information, please visit www.disney.com/infinity and www.youtube.com/disneyinfinity, join the Disney Infinity Facebook community (Facebook.com/disneyinfinity) and Google+ community (https://plus.google.com/+DisneyInfinity), and follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/disneyinfinity) and Instagram (instagram.com/disneyinfinity. To access press materials, please visit http://disneyinteractive.smugmug.com/DisneyInfinity.

About Disney Interactive
Disney Interactive is one of the world's largest creators of high-quality interactive entertainment across all current and emerging digital media platforms. Products and content released and operated by Disney Interactive include blockbuster mobile and console games, online virtual worlds, and No. 1-ranked web destinations Disney.com and the Moms and Family network of websites.

About D23
The name "D23" pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney's nearly 90-year history. D23 gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication Disney twenty-three; a rich website with members-only content at D23.com; and member-exclusive discounts and special events for D23 Members throughout the year, highlighted by the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, August 9–11, 2013.

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Disney passed on Iron Man, Star Wars games to focus on Disney Infinity

by Danny Cowan on Aug 16th 2013 1:00PM

Disney tightened its focus within the video games sector in order to concentrate on the upcoming multiplatform release of Disney Infinity, the Wall Street Journal reports.

As part of its restructuring efforts, the company canceled a previously unannounced Iron Man-licensed game that had entered production. Disney Interactive additionally passed on its option to produce multiple Star Wars-licensed games following its parent company's purchase of Lucasfilm earlier this year.

According to the Wall Street Journal's report, Disney Infinity cost the company more than $100 million to produce. The risk is great, but Disney counts on a big payoff, as Activision's competing Skylanders series has raked in more than $1.5 billion in sales since its launch in 2011.

Disney positions Infinity as a boost for its faltering Interactive division, which has incurred more than $1.41 billion in losses since its formation in 2008.

"If Infinity does well, it bodes very well for the bottom line of this unit," Disney CEO Robert Iger told the Wall Street Journal. "If it doesn't do well, the opposite will be the case."

"It's a Hail Mary with a tremendous amount of pressure to be a hit," said an unnamed source who recently left Disney's video game division.

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Disney Infinity puts away 294,000 copies in August

by Jessica Conditt on Sep 16th 2013 10:00PM

Disney Infinity put the revenue from 294,000 sales in its toy box in its first two weeks on the market, a Disney spokesperson told Games Industry. Disney Infinity launched on August 18 and it hit No. 3 on the NPD's monthly sales report, behind Saints Row 4 and Madden 25.

The Accessories section of the NPD's totals hit $136.7 million for August. "Combined with sales of Skylanders accessories, one in every three accessory sold this month was an Interactive Gaming Toy," NPD reported.

We found Disney Infinity to be a joy for Disney fans of any age: "Adults who have a fondness for Disney will get the most out of Disney Infinity, thanks to its expansive Toy Box mode, and the Play Sets will provide hours of entertainment for kids who have prior experience with platformers."

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August NPD: Madden 25, Saints Row 4, Disney Infinity lead the charge

by Jordan Mallory on Sep 12th 2013 7:14PM

The NPD Group has released its monthly report on sales in the physical retail sector of the video game industry for August, and due to dramatic figures on both sides of the scale, the industry as a whole remained essentially flat as far as its overall year-over-year income comparisons are concerned.

Overall hardware sales were down 40 percent as compared with August of 2012, with the entire segment bringing in just $90.8 million. Nintendo's 3DS appreciated its fourth month in a row as the best-selling piece of hardware in the US, while Microsoft's Xbox 360 enjoyed yet another podium finish as the best-selling home console, selling 96,000 units.

Meanwhile, year-over-year software sales were up by 23 percent: $293.4 million this August as compared to $237.9 million last year. Eight out of August's top 10 best-selling games were launched during the month, with the entire list achieving "more than double the sales" of the top 10 games of August 2012, according to NPD Group analyst Liam Callahan.

The list, available in full after the break, is topped by Madden 25, Saints Row 4 and Disney Infinity, the last of which also played a major role in the Accessories segment's $136.7 million of income – a seven-percent increase over last year. "Combined with sales of Skylanders accessories, one in every three accessory sold this month was an Interactive Gaming Toy," says Callahan.
Madden 25 (360, PS3)Saints Row 4 (360, PS3, PC)Disney Infinity (360, Wii, PS3, Wii U, 3DS)Splinter Cell: Blacklist (360, PS3, Wii U, PC)Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition (360)Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (3DS)NCAA Football 14 (360, PS3)Payday 2 (360, PS3)Final Fantasy 14 Online: A Realm Reborn (PS3, PC)Pikmin 3 (Wii U)

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Activision bullish about Skylanders in face of Disney Infinity

by Alexander Sliwinski on Jun 13th 2013 3:00PM

Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, says the company isn't changing its sales projections on the Skylanders franchise, or this fall's Skylanders: Swap Force, in the face of Disney Infinity.

"We're still bullish on our projections. We feel like it was only a matter of time, given the scale of the success of Skylanders, that other competitors entered the genre. That's to be expected," said Hirshberg.

"I get this question a lot on Call of Duty. We have tough competition every year. We have tough competition in every category we play in, it's a part of the business. We try not to focus on it. We try to focus on making the best games we can and exceeding the expectations of our fans and bottling magic."

Skylanders has surpassed $1 billion in lifetime sales since launching in 2011. Disney Infinity will launch this August.

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Disney Infinity opens up its Toy Box, gives us a look inside

by David Hinkle on Jun 26th 2013 8:00PM

Toy Box mode is Disney Infinity's sandbox creation side, allowing you to construct your own worlds in real-time. What you create is based on what in-game content you've unlocked. It's an open-ended mode where Disney franchises can collide within the same arena, though we suppose that can be said about Disney infinity in general too.

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Disney Infinity WiiU New Images

These are some new images of the Nintendo WiiU game Disney Infinity

More About: Nintendo WiiU, Disney Infinity

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Disney Infinity WiiU New Images

These are some new images of the Nintendo WiiU game Disney Infinity

More About: Nintendo WiiU, Disney Infinity

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Disney Infinity starter pack priced $74.99, Play Sets $34.99

by Sinan Kubba on Jan 16th 2013 1:15PM

The Disney Infinity starter pack, which will include the game, three figures and their three respective 'Play Sets,' will cost $74.99 when it debuts this June. The three figures bundled with the starter pack are Pirates of the Caribbean's Jack Sparrow, The Incredibles' Mr Incredible, and Sully of Monsters University.

Each of the 20 launch figures has its own associated 'Play Set,' these being gameplay worlds and stories linked to the character and their original habitat. Play Sets will cost $34.99, while Power Disc bundles, which sit underneath character figures and provide in-game buffs, will start at $4.99.

If you want to learn more, check out Mike Schramm's in-depth look at Disney's newly unveiled answer to Skylanders.

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Activision pays $42 million to Infinity Ward Employee Group

by JC Fletcher on May 15th 2012 9:30AM

Activision has paid out $42 million to the "Infinity Ward Employee Group," which sued Activision in 2010 seeking profits from Modern Warfare 2. A source speaking to Polygon said that the payment was not a settlement; rather, Activision's discovery phase (for its own lawsuit against former Infinity Ward leads Jason West and Vince Zampella) found no evidence that the Employee Group members were complicit in the breach-of-contract issues for which Activision is suing, and so Bobby Kotick and Activision agreed to pay them.

That group sought $75 million to $125 million, plus punitive damages. IWEG attorney Bruce Isaacs told Polygon that "although it is a meaningful payment it is only a small portion of what we are seeking in litigation." And it is still going forward with said litigation. Isaacs said the payment was a "cynical attempt to look good before the jury trial."

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Infinity Ward suit against Activision going to trial

by Richard Mitchell on Jun 17th 2011 5:44PM

After languishing in the legal system for over a year, the lawsuit filed against Activision by Infinity Ward founders Vincent Zampella and Jason West appears to be moving forward, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The publication reports that a Los Angeles judge has ruled that Zampella and West's claims against Activision have merit -- complaints of unpaid royalties among others -- meaning the suit should finally be going to court.

The news comes months after a judge allowed Activision's countersuit to move forward as well. Both sides of the suit are seeking significant damages. Appropriately enough, with both sides cleared to proceed, it looks like it's finally time for Activision and the former Call of Duty developers to go to war.

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