'Disney Infinity' Only Cost $100 Million to Develop

Meanwhile 'Skylanders' has generated $1.5 billion in sales over the last two years.

'Disney Infinity,' Disney's 'Skylanders' -like answer to years of video game miscues, is ready to launch next week. The video game/toy line was originally set for June, but was pushed back despite a plan to tie into the release of 'Monsters University.' According to the Wall Street Journal, the 'Skylanders' but with Disney characters product cost $100 million to develop. Ultimately, the toy and video game product is a key part of Disney's chief executive Roger Iger's plan to return Disney Interactive to profitability.

The WSJ casts Disney as desperate following miscues with Playdom, and Warren Spector's 'Epic Mickey.' Even 2007's failed Club Penguin acquisition and initiatives are outlined as the reason that Disney needs to start a frenzy with 'Disney Infinity.' The plan had been to recoup the $100 million plus budget by the end of the year, but with the summer push back, that is no longer in the cards.

From the WSJ, "If 'Infinity' flops, Disney would likely have to re-evaluate its videogame strategy, possibly shifting to an all-licensing model. The interactive unit's remaining operations would consist of producing online content and mobile apps.

"'It's a Hail Mary with a tremendous amount of pressure to be a hit,' said a person who recently left Disney's videogame business.

"As it pours resources into "Infinity," Disney Interactive has pulled back in other areas. It halted production on an "Iron Man" game scheduled for release this year, for instance, and passed on the opportunity to produce "Star Wars" games following its parent company's purchase of Lucasfilm."

Essentially, it seems that the non-ESPN, non-Pixar, non-Marvel, etc. and non-profitable part of Disney has doubled down on 'Disney Infinity.' By this time next year, the product will either be a massive hit or massive failure, which considering that the Disney has always pushed the interactive part of the product as subject to constant expansion and improvement means that kids will need to like version one if there is to be a version two or three.

Source: WSJ

Author: Brian Hoss

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