Disney Interactive Studios at E3 Media
& Business Summit 2007
New Titles announced
Disney continues to make major investments
in growing its video game self publishing business to develop creative
and innovative entertainment experiences. Disney
Interactive Studios plans to invest $130 million in product development
in 2007. The company also continues to invest in talent, which has
grown to around 700 employees in 11 countries
By
WAVE Team
from Belgrade, SERBIA
Disney Interactive Studios discussed the success
of its business, unveiled a major new online community initiative
and announced new titles in popular video game franchises during the
E3 Media & Business Summit 2007.
Disney continues to make major investments in growing its video game
self publishing business to develop creative and innovative entertainment
experiences. Disney Interactive Studios plans to invest $130 million
in product development in 2007. The company also continues to invest
in talent, which has grown to around 700 employees in 11 countries.
Ninety percent of new products will be Disney-branded with 70 percent
based on films and television properties and the other 20 percent
focused on new intellectual property. The remaining 10 percent will
be devoted to non-Disney branded content such as games branded Touchstone
or ABC.
DGamer, a new online community initiative that will be included in
all Disney Interactive Studios' Nintendo DS™ games starting in May
2008, was unveiled. DGamer will link to the DGamer Channel on Disney.com.
Also announced were The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video
game and Spectrobes II, both second installments of successful franchises.
Disney-branded games ranked first in North American sales among all
third-party published Nintendo DS games in 2006, which includes Disney
Interactive Studios' published games and licensed properties such
as Disney-Pixar titles published by THQ Inc. Among all publishers,
Disney Interactive Studios was fourth in Nintendo DS game sales in
2006 (up from No. 10 in 2005) and third in Game Boy Advance sales
(up from No. 4), according to The NPD Group.
Disney
Interactive Studios showcased upcoming youth-branded games both for
handheld and console platforms. New video games for girls, boys and
families will include titles on multiple platforms based on the Disney
Channel franchises High School Musical, Hannah Montana and Power Rangers.
Titles such as Disney Friends, Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey
and Enchanted round out the lineup.
The release date for Turok, which will be published under the company's
familiar Touchstone brand, was announced as February 5, 2008. The
re-imagined game from Classic Media's popular license will be available
for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION3
computer entertainment system.
Disney's upcoming products creatively build on successful franchises
in a multitude of media.
- DGamer: Disney's new online community for the Nintendo DS
will connect Disney video game fans in a fun environment. DGamer will
allow Disney game players to chat, create personal avatars and trade
game-themed items, across the room or anywhere in the world with the
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Anything a DGamer player will be able to
do on the Nintendo DS will also be done online through the DGamer
Channel at Disney.com. DGamer will be included free in every Disney
game for the Nintendo DS and will roll out in North America first
starting in May 2008 with the release of The Chronicles of Narnia:
Prince Caspian for the Nintendo DS. DGamer and The Chronicles of Narnia:
Prince Caspian for the Nintendo DS are being developed by Fall Line
Studio, Disney Interactive Studios' Nintendo-focused studio in Salt
Lake City, Utah.
Platforms: Nintendo DS and computers
Release Date: May 2008
- The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: The second installment
of The Chronicles of Narnia takes place where "The Chronicles
of Narnia: The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe" left off. The versions
for consoles, which are being developed by Traveller's Tales, will
feature 20 playable characters, each with different weapons and abilities.
The game will expand beyond the film and include "drop-in/drop
out" two-player gameplay both offline and online. The company's
DGamer technology will debut with the Nintendo DS version.
Platforms: PLAYSTATION 3 system, Xbox 360, Wii™ home video game system,
PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS, PSP (PlayStation
Portable) system and Windows PC
Release Date: May 2008
- Spectrobes II: The sequel to this year's highly successful
sci-fi action/role-playing Nintendo DS game and the first original
intellectual property published by Disney Interactive Studios, Spectrobes
II continues the adventures of Rallen and Jeena, planetary patrol
officers sent to investigate the mysterious fossilized creatures known
as Spectrobes. Developed by Kyoto-based Jupiter Corp., Spectrobes
II will feature a new enemy known as Krux and new Spectrobes as well
as the opportunity to play as both Jeena and Rallen.
Platform: Nintendo DS
Release Date: Fall 2008
