Disney turns away from high-end games

By Ellie Gibson Published 11 February, 2010

Sticking to DS and Wii, in the main.

Disney is planning to scale back the number of "high-end" console games it produces, focusing on the casual market instead.

"The typical game that we set out to make, which I'll call a Disney branded game, seems to perform better on the Nintendo Wii and DS platforms and on the platform basically that are not the high-end console games," CEO Bob Iger said in a conference call (overheard by Gamespot).

"So while we're going to continue to make games for the high-end, we'll be very, very judicious in how many and which ones we choose."

According to Iger those high-end games cost an awful lot to develop and marke. Plus there's huge competition from the casual sector and new platforms like the iPhone. Disney plans to focus on these areas, particularly with regard to the advent of the iPad, and is already producing apps for ABC, ESPN and Marvel.

So where does that leave Disney's high-end console franchises like Split/Second, Pure and, er, Turok? Iger didn't say, but he did mention the company's recent acquisition of the rights to Marvel characters. Iger reckons the Marvel brand will do "extremely well on the higher-end consoles".

Disney's Interactive Media division racked up $221 million in revenues during the final quarter of last year. This marked a 29 per cent decrease year-on-year, attributed to the fact Disney published less games. Losses stood at $10 million, down from $45 million the year before. Club Penguin's doing awfully well, apparently.

Overall Disney posted revenues of $9.74 billion and net income of $844 million. Not bad for a Mickey Mouse company. It's just not worth going on is it.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (34) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Rpt81 #1 2 years ago

    Oh noes?!? Is this the end for easy achievements?

  • woodnotes #2 2 years ago

    Clearly Disney doesn't think Natal is the new Wii then.

  • jonsaan #3 2 years ago

    Shouldn't that read 'turned away'.

  • justice-ste #4 2 years ago

    DS Kart racer featuring Mickey, Donald and Turok

  • Mkwone #5 2 years ago

    Well if Epic Micky lives up to the hype it's not a bad move.

  • George-Roper #6 2 years ago

    Cheap, shitty development FTUFW!

    Go go gadget Disney shovelware!

  • MasterNameless #7 2 years ago

    "Shouldn't that read 'turned away'."

    I don't think so, no. If Disney decided on this a few weeks ago and it is being reported in retrospect, then yes. As it's current news though because disney are planning to turn away from high-end consoles, it should be the present tense.

    Edit: It could be 'turned away', if you were refering to the decision from the market's perspective. i.e.: Disney is 'turned away' by the low sales on high end consoles. But Disney is the subject here, so EG's phrasing is correct I believe. :)
    Edited by 3 at 11/02/10 @ 10:20

  • jamhead #8 2 years ago

    Boo hoo!

  • 00.00.01 #9 2 years ago

    Disney is taking the Mickey?

  • Eldritch #10 2 years ago

    So, Pure didn't sell then? What with the game literally being thrown at you from all sides now, sales must've been really bad... Shame, the game as such was pretty good though.

  • MasterNameless #11 2 years ago

    They want to make games with the minnie-mum effort.

  • Monkey_Puncher #12 2 years ago

    Wasn't aware they were making many high end games in the first place?

    I can't say I'll be missing the poor cashins on Pixar film, more Pure would be nice though.

  • geeza2020 #13 2 years ago

    Oh no!! No more Disney games? How will I cope? I'm really going to miss their quality output.....

  • drxym #14 2 years ago

    So Disney does high end games? Most of their movie franchise content is shovelware quality where the 360 / PS3 versions of the titles are barely different from what goes out on the Wii / PS2. It's probably even the same code and graphics. I downloaded the Up & Wall-E demos for the PS3 and frankly if I saw them running on on a PS2 I wouldn't be impressed.
    Edited by 1 at 11/02/10 @ 10:49

  • CallousB #15 2 years ago

    Makes sense. Wii/DS should always be the lead SKU's on any games aimed at a family audience...as that's where they sell the best.

  • Shinetop #16 2 years ago

    I hope this won't lead to a slew of games I abHor. ace designers might be able to prevent that, which would make me Glad. stone all managers that decree more shovelware, I say. Let's hop Dai sy it the same way.

  • jonsaan #17 2 years ago

    But Master nameless. What I meant was...oh never mind. I meant they turned away from high end games some time ago really.

  • MasterNameless #18 2 years ago

    Ohhh... I see. Yes, you're right then! Disney have been making crap since a long time ago. You egged on the grammar nerd in me enough to completely miss your point. :)

  • muscleblade #19 2 years ago

    @Rpt81

    The only 360 game from Disney i can think of is PURE. Easy achievements my ass. Its a fantastic game. I think the next Disney game for 360/PS3 Split Second looks very promising too.
    Edited by 1 at 11/02/10 @ 11:48

  • Murton #20 2 years ago

    Kinda expected to see someone make an announcement that they will concentrate on the Wii and DS after the recent announcements from publishers moving away from the platform. Both Capcom and Ubisoft have said that they will be making less games on the Nintendo platform, only makes that someone would see the opportunity of decreased competition and fill that gap.

  • muscleblade #21 2 years ago

    @drxym

    Both the games you mentioned is THQ games. Games made from Disney films isnt nessecary Disney games. Their both developed by Heavy Iron and published by THQ. Disney had nothing to do with them.

    Split Second, Turok and Pure is Disney games. Why do so many people lacking so much knowledge still comment.
    Edited by 1 at 11/02/10 @ 11:58

  • sarcasmoidosis #22 2 years ago

    What's next? Dolph Lundgren backing out of Oscar movies?

  • riz23 #23 2 years ago

    Black Rock is a great studio. They better not waste them.

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #24 2 years ago

    TBH these days it's not an issue back on the NES and SNES/MD - Duck Tales and Chip&Dale and Aladdin were ledgend...

    *wait for it*

    ..dary! These days most Disney games are third party and/or really bad movie games, we only really lose things like Pure, shame really, thankfully Kingdom hearts is SE
    Edited by 1 at 11/02/10 @ 12:29

  • penhalion #25 2 years ago

    It sounds like Disney's shovelware isn't selling like they thought it would. I guess, unlike movies, the Disney name means nothing to the diserning gamer.

  • disussedgenius #26 2 years ago

    Just leave Black Rock alone damnit!

  • gjgjg #27 2 years ago

    makes sense although Pure has been in the charts a while...
    interesting to see companies shifting attention to specific platforms.

    btw 844mil profit?! jeezuzzzz

    also typo nerd attack: '...develop and marke.' :)

  • jebus #28 2 years ago

    @dj1917 "Disney's games a rubbish" and "Seriously, anyone, name a good Disney game"

    Pure?

    Have you actually played any games recently? Plus just because a game like Hannah Montanna isn't aimed at you doesn't mean it's actually crap, it means it's aimed at a totally different demographic - i.e. not the retarded twat demograohic which you seem to belong to.
    Jesus.

  • Johnhost #29 2 years ago

    So basically Disney's crap games sell well on Wii and DS on brand name alone to mom's who buy it for their kids at Christmas and yet the games are total tat. No suprise that a more adult platform like PS3 or 360 doesn't buy the shovelware they release. If disney was SERIOUS about making good money and good games perhaps they should hire Traveller's Tales to make their games instead of their cut rate internal studios.

  • Slipstream #30 2 years ago

    "So while we're going to continue to make games for the high-end, we'll be very, very judicious in how many and which ones we choose."

    It hurts, shovelware, doesn't it?

  • Concrete #31 2 years ago

    dj1917 and JohnHost = The same, retarded person imo.
    Edited by 1 at 11/02/10 @ 16:38

  • The-Bodybuilder #32 2 years ago

    Personally, I think this is a goofy move by disney. I mean really, they made a profit of $844mill, they really should stop being such scrooges.

  • spookyzombie #33 2 years ago

    Stop being so Dopey.

  • SpaceMonkey77 #34 2 years ago

    There choice I guess, but they'd be wise to decide that after Split Second has done business. If its sales are spectacular and they have to U-turn, they'll look stupid. Split Second looks awesome and will meet my Burnout fix.

    Makes me wonder if Disney were ever serious about games, beyond watching the dollars roll in. I really enjoyed Pure and would have loved a sequel. Its just unfortunate it didn't sell as well.