Disney Interactive Studios: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Defunct American video game developer and publisher}}
{{Short description|Defunct American video game developer and publisher}}
{{Distinguish|text=[[Disney Interactive]], the modern successor of Disney Interactive Studios}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Lead too short|date=May 2024|reason=Does not mention any of the company's history other than its closure.}}
{{Lead too short|date=May 2024|reason=Does not mention any of the company's history other than its closure.}}
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| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| founded = {{start date and age|1988|9|15}}
| founded = {{start date and age|1988|9|15}}
| fate = Closed by [[The Walt Disney Company]]
| fate = Closed
| defunct = {{end date and age|2016|5|10}}
| defunct = {{end date and age|2016|5|10}}
| successor = [[Disney Electronic Content]]
| successor = [[Disney Interactive]]
| hq_location_city = 500 Paula Ave, [[Glendale, California]]
| hq_location_city = 500 Paula Ave, [[Glendale, California]]
| hq_location_country = US
| hq_location_country = US
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| brands = [[Touchstone Interactive]]
| brands = [[Touchstone Interactive]]
| parent = [[Walt Disney Television]] (1988–1995)<br>[[Disney Interactive]] (1995–2016)
| parent = [[Walt Disney Television]] (1988–1995)<br />[[Disney Interactive]] (1995–2016)
| subsid = See {{section link||Studios}}
| subsid = See {{section link||Studios}}
| website = {{URL|disneyinteractive.com}}
| website = {{URL|disneyinteractive.com}}
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'''Disney Interactive Studios, Inc.''' was an American [[video game developer]] and [[video game publisher|publisher]] owned by [[The Walt Disney Company]] through [[Disney Interactive]]. Prior to its closure in 2016, it developed and [[Distribution (business)|distributed]] [[Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program|multi-platform]] [[video game]]s and [[Interactive media|interactive entertainment]] worldwide.
'''Disney Interactive Studios, Inc.''' was an American [[video game developer]] and [[video game publisher|publisher]] owned by [[The Walt Disney Company]] through [[Disney Interactive]]. Prior to its closure in 2016, it developed and [[Distribution (business)|distributed]] [[Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program|multi-platform]] [[video game]]s and [[Interactive media|interactive entertainment]] worldwide.


Most of the games released by Disney Interactive Studios were typically tie-in products to existing character franchises.<ref name=wrd>{{cite news|last=Kohler|first=Chris|title=How Videogames Are Changing Disney|url=https://www.wired.com/gamelife/2012/10/disney-videogames/|access-date=17 October 2012|newspaper=Wired.com|date=October 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018201650/http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2012/10/disney-videogames|archive-date=18 October 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> On May 10, 2016, as a result of the discontinuation of its ''[[Disney Infinity]]'' series, Disney shut down Disney Interactive Studios, and exited the first-party home console game development business in order to focus on third-party development of home console video games through other developers. However, it continues to release games for [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] mobile devices under its own label, [[Disney Mobile]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2018}} [[Disney Electronic Content]] is a spiritual successor to the company.
Most of the games released by Disney Interactive Studios were typically tie-in products to existing character franchises.<ref name=wrd>{{cite news|last=Kohler|first=Chris|title=How Videogames Are Changing Disney|url=https://www.wired.com/gamelife/2012/10/disney-videogames/|access-date=17 October 2012|newspaper=Wired.com|date=October 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018201650/http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2012/10/disney-videogames|archive-date=18 October 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> On May 10, 2016, as a result of the discontinuation of its ''[[Disney Infinity]]'' series, Disney shut down Disney Interactive Studios, and exited the first-party home console game development business in order to focus on third-party development of home console video games through other developers. However, it continues to release games for [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] mobile devices under its own label, [[Disney Mobile]], and later revived the [[Marvel Games]] and [[Lucasfilm Games]] labels for licensing of third-party developed games based on Marvel and Lucasfilm properties respectively.{{Citation needed|date=April 2018}} [[Disney Electronic Content]] is a spiritual successor to the company.


==History==
==History==
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===1994–2002: Disney Interactive===
===1994–2002: Disney Interactive===
[[File:Disney Interactive 1995.svg|thumb|120px|The logo of Disney Interactive from 1995 to 2007]]
[[File:Disney Interactive 1995.svg|thumb|120px|The logo of Disney Interactive from 1995 to 2007]]
Using the film studio style formula, WDCS was reorganized into '''Disney Interactive, Inc. (DI)'''<ref name=sd/> on December 5, 1994 with the merging of WDCS and [[Walt Disney Television#Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications|Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Polsson|first=Ken|title=July to December 1994|url=http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1994jul.htm|work=Chronology of the Walt Disney Company|publisher=Ken Polsson|access-date=6 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213014208/http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1994jul.htm|archive-date=13 December 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Fisher |first=Maxine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vmi6HAAACAAJ |title=Walt Disney |year=1988 |isbn=978-0-531-10493-4 |pages=A8|publisher=F. Watts }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The New York Times|date=December 6, 1994|newspaper=The New York Times|pages=D5}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|date=19 February 1995|title=CD-ROM Today|journal=CD-ROM Today|volume=3|issue=2|pages=26}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|date=March 1995|title=Windows Magazine|journal=Windows Magazine|volume=6|issue=3|pages=42}}</ref> On April 15, 1997, Disney Interactive reduced its staff by 20%, effectively ending all in-house video game production.<ref>{{cite news |title=Disney software cuts jobs |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/disney-software-cuts-jobs/ |access-date=26 February 2025 |work=CNET |date=April 17, 1997}}</ref> This increased the requests for licensing from third-party games companies. Under this plan, development and production cost risks were transferred to the game companies but reduced the per-unit revenue generated to Disney and effectively yielded a near 100% margin of licensed game sales.<ref name=sd/> A thirteen-game agreement was made between Nintendo of America and Disney Interactive in 1999 for both the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color.<ref>[http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1999.htm Page 114. Volume 121 (June 1999)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929190713/http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1999.htm |date=2015-09-29 }}. Nintendo Power. Accessed April 18, 2016.</ref>
Using the film studio style formula, WDCS was reorganized into '''Disney Interactive, Inc. (DI)'''<ref name=sd/> on December 5, 1994 with the merging of WDCS and [[Walt Disney Television#Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications|Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Polsson|first=Ken|title=July to December 1994|url=http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1994jul.htm|work=Chronology of the Walt Disney Company|publisher=Ken Polsson|access-date=6 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213014208/http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1994jul.htm|archive-date=13 December 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Fisher |first=Maxine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vmi6HAAACAAJ |title=Walt Disney |year=1988 |isbn=978-0-531-10493-4 |pages=A8|publisher=F. Watts }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The New York Times|date=December 6, 1994|newspaper=The New York Times|pages=D5}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|date=19 February 1995|title=CD-ROM Today|journal=CD-ROM Today|volume=3|issue=2|pages=26}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|date=March 1995|title=Windows Magazine|journal=Windows Magazine|volume=6|issue=3|pages=42}}</ref>


In May 2001, the company signed a deal with [[Sony Interactive Entertainment|Sony Computer Entertainment]] to allow the latter to publish titles based on ''[[Atlantis: The Lost Empire]]'', ''[[Monsters, Inc.]]'', ''[[Treasure Planet]]'', ''[[Lilo & Stitch]]'', and ''[[Return to Never Land|Peter Pan: Return to Never Land]]'' on the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] and [[PlayStation 2]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sony and Disney Align To Produce Games For PlayStation 2 and PSOne Consoles Based On Disney Feature Animated Content |url=http://spong.com/press_release/1676/Sony-and-Disney-Align-To-Produce-Games-For-PlayStation-2-and-PSOne-Consoles-Based-On-Disney-Feature-Animated-Content |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=SPOnG |language=en}}</ref>
On April 15, 1997, Disney Interactive announced it would exit the in-house video game market and reduce its staff by 20%.<ref>{{cite news |title=Disney software cuts jobs |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/disney-software-cuts-jobs/ |access-date=26 February 2025 |work=CNET |date=April 17, 1997}}</ref> The company would instead license out Disney properties to third-party developers and publishers, of which the development and production cost risks were transferred to the game companies but reduced the per-unit revenue generated to Disney and effectively yielded a near 100% margin of licensed game sales.<ref name=sd/>


In European territories, [[Infogrames]] formerly distributed several of Disney Interactive's PC titles, however, this agreement was later replaced with several separate distribution deals, including [[JoWooD Productions]] in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dgap.de/dgap/News/adhoc/jowood-prod-software-english/?companyID=296&newsID=20652|title = JoWooD Prod. Software english - dgap.de}}</ref>
On February 27, 1999, Disney Interactive signed a six-game publishing contract with [[Activision]] to release titles for the Nintendo 64, starting with ''[[A Bug's Life (video game)|A Bug's Life]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Activision Does Disney|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/02/27/activision-does-disney|website=IGN|date=February 27, 1999}}</ref> In May, Disney signed a worldwide publishing agreement with [[Nintendo]] which would mainly focus on video games featuring [[Mickey Mouse]] on the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color, which would be developed by then-Nintendo partner [[Rare (company)|Rare]]. The Game Boy Color would also see titles based on ''[[Alice in Wonderland (1951 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' and ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]''.<ref>[http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1999.htm Page 114. Volume 121 (June 1999)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929190713/http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1999.htm |date=2015-09-29 }}. Nintendo Power. Accessed April 18, 2016.</ref> Another worldwide publishing deal was made with [[Ubisoft|Ubi Soft]] in the same month for games based on [[Donald Duck]] and other Disney animated films<ref>{{cite web|title=Ubi Gets Donald|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/05/13/ubi-gets-donald|website=IGN|date=May 13, 1999}}</ref> which later included ''[[Dinosaur (2000 film)|Dinosaur]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Disney signs up Ubi Soft for Dinosaur game|url=https://www.screendaily.com/disney-signs-up-ubi-soft-for-dinosaur-game/401610.article|website=Screen Daily|first=Francoise Meaux|last=Saint Marc|date=March 6, 2000}}</ref> In November, the company published a CD-ROM title based on the game show ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (American game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire]]'' which went on to sell one million copies in four weeks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/consumer-products/computing-products-consumer-software/6776557-1.html |title=Millionaire Tops One Million! 1 Million Units of WhoWants to be a Millionaire CD-ROM Shipped in First Four Weeks |date=December 20, 1999 |access-date=January 18, 2009 |publisher=[[Business Wire]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318232430/http://www.allbusiness.com/consumer-products/computing-products-consumer-software/6776557-1.html |archive-date=March 18, 2008 }}</ref>
 
In 2000, Disney Interactive reestablished Buena Vista Interactive as a secondary publishing label, initially being used to publish CD-ROM titles based on ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (American game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire]]''.
 
In May 2001, the company signed a deal with [[Sony Interactive Entertainment|Sony Computer Entertainment]] to allow the latter to publish titles based on ''[[Atlantis: The Lost Empire]]'', ''[[Monsters, Inc.]]'', ''[[Treasure Planet]]'', ''[[Lilo & Stitch]]'', and ''[[Return to Never Land|Peter Pan: Return to Never Land]]'' on the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] and [[PlayStation 2]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sony and Disney Align To Produce Games For PlayStation 2 and PSOne Consoles Based On Disney Feature Animated Content |url=http://spong.com/press_release/1676/Sony-and-Disney-Align-To-Produce-Games-For-PlayStation-2-and-PSOne-Consoles-Based-On-Disney-Feature-Animated-Content |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=SPOnG |language=en}}</ref> In European territories, [[Atari SA|Infogrames]] formerly distributed several of Disney Interactive's PC titles; however, this agreement was later replaced with several separate distribution deals, including [[JoWooD Productions]] in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dgap.de/dgap/News/adhoc/jowood-prod-software-english/?companyID=296&newsID=20652|title = JoWooD Prod. Software english - dgap.de}}</ref>
 
In February 2002, Disney Interactive announced that they would return to the self-publishing console/handheld market by releasing titles for the [[Game Boy Advance]], beginning with ''[[Peter Pan: Adventures in Never Land|Return to Never Land]]'', ''[[Disney's Lilo & Stitch (Game Boy Advance video game)|Lilo & Stitch]]'', and ''[[Treasure Planet#Video games|Treasure Planet]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Disney To Publish Titles For Nintendo|url=https://www.worthplaying.com/article/2002/2/1/news/2162-disney-to-publish-titles-for-nintendo/|website=WorthPlaying|date=February 1, 2002}}</ref> They later signed a deal with [[Ubisoft|Ubi Soft]] to publish and distribute the titles in Europe.<ref>https://staticctf.ubisoft.com/8aefmxkxpxwl/1j7txOvc9AbSeGfZBghy8N/060db83e9d5b75bac64339405e3442af/RA_2001-2002_UK.PDF {{Bare URL PDF|date=July 2025}}</ref> In May 2002, the company formed a third publishing label named Plaid Banana Entertainment which would publish games developed by Hulabee Entertainment, a studio formed by [[Humongous Entertainment]] founders Shelley Day and Ron Gilbert.<ref>{{cite web|title=Disney teams up with Humongous Entertainment founders|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/152464/plaid.html|website=MacWorld|first=Peter|last=Cohen|date=January 28, 2002}}</ref>


===2003–2007: Buena Vista Games===
===2003–2007: Buena Vista Games===
In 2003, Disney announced in their 2003 strategic review that they would re-enter the core publishing market and rebranded Disney Interactive, Inc. as '''Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG)''' The Disney Interactive and Buena Vista Interactive brands were retained as publishing labels for children's and core titles respectively.<ref name=sd/>
In 2003, The Walt Disney Company announced that it would fully re-enter the self-publishing and core gaming markets, rebranding '''Disney Interactive, Inc.''' as '''Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG)''' The Disney Interactive and Buena Vista Interactive brands were retained as publishing labels for children's and core titles, respectively.<ref name=sd/>


On April 19, 2005, Buena Vista Games announced that they had entered the game development market. The company formed [[Propaganda Games]], based in [[Vancouver]], British Columbia; which was made up of former employees at [[EA Vancouver|EA Canada]], and purchased [[Avalanche Software]] in [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]] for an undisclosed amount.<ref name="gpt1-Avalanche">{{cite news|last=Kawamoto|first=Dawn|title=Disney scoops up Avalanche, founds new studio|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-scoops-up-avalanche-founds-new-studio/1100-6122500/|access-date=22 October 2012|newspaper=gamespot.com|date=April 19, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709161644/http://www.gamespot.com/news/disney-scoops-up-avalanche-founds-new-studio-6122500|archive-date=July 9, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> On May 13, 2005, the company announced they had acquired the video game rights to the ''[[Turok]]'' franchise from owners [[Classic Media]]; which had been previously held by [[Acclaim Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Disney digs up Turok|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-digs-up-turok/1100-6124379/|access-date=22 October 2012|newspaper=gamespot.com|date=May 13, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151217215030/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-digs-up-turok/1100-6124379/|archive-date=17 December 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
On April 19, 2005, Buena Vista Games announced that they had entered the game development market. The company formed [[Propaganda Games]], based in [[Vancouver]], British Columbia; which was made up of former employees at [[EA Vancouver|EA Canada]], and purchased [[Avalanche Software]] in [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]] for an undisclosed amount.<ref name="gpt1-Avalanche">{{cite news|last=Kawamoto|first=Dawn|title=Disney scoops up Avalanche, founds new studio|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-scoops-up-avalanche-founds-new-studio/1100-6122500/|access-date=22 October 2012|newspaper=gamespot.com|date=April 19, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709161644/http://www.gamespot.com/news/disney-scoops-up-avalanche-founds-new-studio-6122500|archive-date=July 9, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> On May 13, 2005, the company announced they had acquired the video game rights to the ''[[Turok]]'' franchise from owners [[Classic Media]]; which had been previously held by [[Acclaim Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Disney digs up Turok|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-digs-up-turok/1100-6124379/|access-date=22 October 2012|newspaper=gamespot.com|date=May 13, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151217215030/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-digs-up-turok/1100-6124379/|archive-date=17 December 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>


On April 27, 2006, Buena Vista Games entered into a publishing agreement with Japanese developer [[Q Entertainment]] where the company would publish four of the developer's titles globally except in Asia; including a Disney-themed version of ''Meteos''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/buena-vista-games-partners-with-q-entertainment | title=Buena Vista Games partners with Q Entertainment | date=April 27, 2006 }}</ref> In September, Buena Vista expanded their developer cycle by purchasing [[Black Rock Studio|Climax Racing]] from the [[Climax Studios|Climax Group]]<ref name="gpt">{{cite news|last=Sinclair|first=Brendan|title=Buena Vista Games to acquire Climax Racing|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/buena-vista-games-to-acquire-climax-racing-6158970|access-date=22 October 2012|newspaper=gamespot.com|date=September 28, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927222044/http://www.gamespot.com/news/buena-vista-games-to-acquire-climax-racing-6158970|archive-date=27 September 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and formed [[Fall Line Studios]] in November to create casual titles for the [[Nintendo DS]] and the [[Wii]] consoles.<ref>{{cite news|title=Disney to make Nintendo games|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-nov-08-fi-disney8-story.html|access-date=19 October 2012|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=November 8, 2006|agency=Reuters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022205746/http://articles.latimes.com/2006/nov/08/business/fi-disney8|archive-date=22 October 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
On April 27, 2006, Buena Vista Games entered into a publishing agreement with Japanese developer [[Q Entertainment]] where the company would publish four of the developer's titles globally except in Asia; including a Disney-themed version of ''Meteos''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/buena-vista-games-partners-with-q-entertainment | title=Buena Vista Games partners with Q Entertainment | date=April 27, 2006 }}</ref> In September, Buena Vista expanded their developer cycle by purchasing [[Black Rock Studio|Climax Racing]] from the [[Climax Studios|Climax Group]]<ref name="gpt">{{cite news|last=Sinclair|first=Brendan|title=Buena Vista Games to acquire Climax Racing|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/buena-vista-games-to-acquire-climax-racing-6158970|access-date=22 October 2012|newspaper=gamespot.com|date=September 28, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927222044/http://www.gamespot.com/news/buena-vista-games-to-acquire-climax-racing-6158970|archive-date=27 September 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and formed [[Fall Line Studios]] in November to create casual titles for the [[Nintendo DS]] and the [[Wii]] consoles.<ref>{{cite news|title=Disney to make Nintendo games|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-nov-08-fi-disney8-story.html|access-date=19 October 2012|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=November 8, 2006|agency=Reuters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022205746/http://articles.latimes.com/2006/nov/08/business/fi-disney8|archive-date=22 October 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
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At [[E3 2013]], Disney and Square Enix released a teaser trailer for ''Kingdom Hearts III'', after going seven years of not declaring any console ''Kingdom Hearts'' game since ''Kingdom Hearts II''. The game would release nearly six years later in January 2019.
At [[E3 2013]], Disney and Square Enix released a teaser trailer for ''Kingdom Hearts III'', after going seven years of not declaring any console ''Kingdom Hearts'' game since ''Kingdom Hearts II''. The game would release nearly six years later in January 2019.


Disney Interactive Studios has lost more than $200 million per year from 2008 to 2012<ref name=as>{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Daniel|title=Disney Interactive expected to begin layoffs|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-disney-interactive-expected-to-begin-layoffs-20140203,0,4272150.story|access-date=5 February 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=3 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205035924/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-disney-interactive-expected-to-begin-layoffs-20140203,0,4272150.story|archive-date=5 February 2014|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> during a period in which it shut down [[Propaganda Games]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/propaganda-games-shuttered/|title=Propaganda Games shuttered|access-date=2011-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121118190037/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/propaganda-games-shuttered/|archive-date=2012-11-18|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Black Rock Studio]]<ref name=egn>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-07-01-split-second-dev-black-rock-to-close|title=Split/Second dev Black Rock to close|first=Robert|last=Purchese|website=[[Eurogamer]]|date=1 July 2011|access-date=2 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224102430/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-07-01-split-second-dev-black-rock-to-close|archive-date=December 24, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and [[Junction Point Studios]]<ref name=wt>{{cite news|last=Lang|first=Derrik J.|title=Disney closing 'Epic Mickey' video game developer|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/29/disney-closing-epic-mickey-video-game-developer/|access-date=30 January 2013|newspaper=The Washington Times|date=January 29, 2013|agency=AP|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105203234/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/29/disney-closing-epic-mickey-video-game-developer/|archive-date=5 November 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and its co-president John Pleasants stepped down in November 2013 after the launch of ''Disney Infinity''.<ref name=as />
Disney Interactive Studios has lost more than $200 million per year from 2008 to 2012<ref name=as>{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Daniel|title=Disney Interactive expected to begin layoffs|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-disney-interactive-expected-to-begin-layoffs-20140203,0,4272150.story|access-date=5 February 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=3 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205035924/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-disney-interactive-expected-to-begin-layoffs-20140203,0,4272150.story|archive-date=5 February 2014|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> during a period in which it shut down Canadian game development studio [[Propaganda Games]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/propaganda-games-shuttered/|title=Propaganda Games shuttered|access-date=2011-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121118190037/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/propaganda-games-shuttered/|archive-date=2012-11-18|url-status=dead}}</ref> British developer [[Black Rock Studio]]<ref name=egn>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-07-01-split-second-dev-black-rock-to-close|title=Split/Second dev Black Rock to close|first=Robert|last=Purchese|website=[[Eurogamer]]|date=1 July 2011|access-date=2 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224102430/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-07-01-split-second-dev-black-rock-to-close|archive-date=December 24, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and Austin-based game developing unit [[Junction Point Studios]]<ref name=wt>{{cite news|last=Lang|first=Derrik J.|title=Disney closing 'Epic Mickey' video game developer|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/29/disney-closing-epic-mickey-video-game-developer/|access-date=30 January 2013|newspaper=The Washington Times|date=January 29, 2013|agency=AP|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105203234/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/29/disney-closing-epic-mickey-video-game-developer/|archive-date=5 November 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and its co-president John Pleasants stepped down in November 2013 after the launch of ''Disney Infinity''.<ref name=as />


===2014–2016: Decline and dissolution===
===2014–2016: Decline and dissolution===
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[[Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct video game companies based in California]]
[[Category:Disney Interactive]]
[[Category:Disney Interactive]]
[[Category:Disney video games]]
[[Category:Disney video games]]
[[Category:Technology companies based in Greater Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Former subsidiaries of The Walt Disney Company]]
[[Category:Video game companies based in California]]
[[Category:Video game companies based in Greater Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2016]]
[[Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2016]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1988]]
[[Category:Video game companies established in 1988]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]
[[Category:Video game development companies]]
[[Category:Video game publishers]]
[[Category:Video game publishers]]

Latest revision as of 03:35, 22 December 2025

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Disney Interactive Studios, Inc. was an American video game developer and publisher owned by The Walt Disney Company through Disney Interactive. Prior to its closure in 2016, it developed and distributed multi-platform video games and interactive entertainment worldwide.

Most of the games released by Disney Interactive Studios were typically tie-in products to existing character franchises.[1] On May 10, 2016, as a result of the discontinuation of its Disney Infinity series, Disney shut down Disney Interactive Studios, and exited the first-party home console game development business in order to focus on third-party development of home console video games through other developers. However, it continues to release games for iOS and Android mobile devices under its own label, Disney Mobile, and later revived the Marvel Games and Lucasfilm Games labels for licensing of third-party developed games based on Marvel and Lucasfilm properties respectively.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Disney Electronic Content is a spiritual successor to the company.

History

1988–1994: Walt Disney Computer Software

Disney established its own in house gaming unit,[1] Walt Disney Computer Software, Inc. (WDCS), and it was incorporated on September 15, 1988.[2] WDCS generally used third-party development studios to design spin-off games using its existing portfolio of characters. WDCS failed to meet the high expectations that came with the Disney name, although three of its self-published computer titles – Mickey's Runaway Zoo, Donald's Alphabet Chase and Who Framed Roger Rabbit – sold more than 100,000 copies, the industry equivalent of earning a Gold Record.[3] The underlying issues were later attributed by senior Disney executives as being due to low product quality and lack of understanding of the differences between film and games.[4]

WDCS also published a series of Nintendo (NES) and Gameboy platform game titles with Japanese video game company Capcom. Of these titles, 1989's DuckTales received the most commercial and critical success, selling approximately 1.67 million and 1.43 million copies worldwide respectively, each becoming Capcom's highest-selling titles for their respective platforms.[5] Produced by founding WDCS producer Darlene Waddington, DuckTalesTemplate:' Gameboy version was named "Gameboy Game of the Year" by PC Player Magazine.[6] DuckTales continues to be considered a game with high nostalgic interest[7] and was remade in 2013 as DuckTales: Remastered.[8]

Following DuckTales, WDCS developed and published another NES platform game with Capcom, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers. Rescue Rangers proved to be a commercial success, selling approximately 1.2 million copies worldwide, becoming Capcom's fourth highest-selling game for the Nintendo Entertainment System.[9] Continuing with the success of these titles, Disney continued to find success with another Capcom developed title, Aladdin and The Lion King (developed by Westwood Studios) in 1993 and 1994 respectively. This led to a move from self-developed and self-published to funding and development management of games with third parties published the game.[4]

1994–2002: Disney Interactive

File:Disney Interactive 1995.svg
The logo of Disney Interactive from 1995 to 2007

Using the film studio style formula, WDCS was reorganized into Disney Interactive, Inc. (DI)[4] on December 5, 1994 with the merging of WDCS and Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications.[10][11][12][13][14]

On April 15, 1997, Disney Interactive announced it would exit the in-house video game market and reduce its staff by 20%.[15] The company would instead license out Disney properties to third-party developers and publishers, of which the development and production cost risks were transferred to the game companies but reduced the per-unit revenue generated to Disney and effectively yielded a near 100% margin of licensed game sales.[4]

On February 27, 1999, Disney Interactive signed a six-game publishing contract with Activision to release titles for the Nintendo 64, starting with A Bug's Life.[16] In May, Disney signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Nintendo which would mainly focus on video games featuring Mickey Mouse on the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color, which would be developed by then-Nintendo partner Rare. The Game Boy Color would also see titles based on Alice in Wonderland and Beauty and the Beast.[17] Another worldwide publishing deal was made with Ubi Soft in the same month for games based on Donald Duck and other Disney animated films[18] which later included Dinosaur.[19] In November, the company published a CD-ROM title based on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire which went on to sell one million copies in four weeks.[20]

In 2000, Disney Interactive reestablished Buena Vista Interactive as a secondary publishing label, initially being used to publish CD-ROM titles based on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

In May 2001, the company signed a deal with Sony Computer Entertainment to allow the latter to publish titles based on Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Monsters, Inc., Treasure Planet, Lilo & Stitch, and Peter Pan: Return to Never Land on the PlayStation and PlayStation 2.[21] In European territories, Infogrames formerly distributed several of Disney Interactive's PC titles; however, this agreement was later replaced with several separate distribution deals, including JoWooD Productions in Germany.[22]

In February 2002, Disney Interactive announced that they would return to the self-publishing console/handheld market by releasing titles for the Game Boy Advance, beginning with Return to Never Land, Lilo & Stitch, and Treasure Planet.[23] They later signed a deal with Ubi Soft to publish and distribute the titles in Europe.[24] In May 2002, the company formed a third publishing label named Plaid Banana Entertainment which would publish games developed by Hulabee Entertainment, a studio formed by Humongous Entertainment founders Shelley Day and Ron Gilbert.[25]

2003–2007: Buena Vista Games

In 2003, The Walt Disney Company announced that it would fully re-enter the self-publishing and core gaming markets, rebranding Disney Interactive, Inc. as Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG) The Disney Interactive and Buena Vista Interactive brands were retained as publishing labels for children's and core titles, respectively.[4]

On April 19, 2005, Buena Vista Games announced that they had entered the game development market. The company formed Propaganda Games, based in Vancouver, British Columbia; which was made up of former employees at EA Canada, and purchased Avalanche Software in Salt Lake City, Utah for an undisclosed amount.[26] On May 13, 2005, the company announced they had acquired the video game rights to the Turok franchise from owners Classic Media; which had been previously held by Acclaim Entertainment.[27]

On April 27, 2006, Buena Vista Games entered into a publishing agreement with Japanese developer Q Entertainment where the company would publish four of the developer's titles globally except in Asia; including a Disney-themed version of Meteos.[28] In September, Buena Vista expanded their developer cycle by purchasing Climax Racing from the Climax Group[29] and formed Fall Line Studios in November to create casual titles for the Nintendo DS and the Wii consoles.[30]

2007–2014: Disney Interactive Studios

On February 8, 2007, The Walt Disney Company renamed Buena Vista Games to Disney Interactive Studios as part of a larger company initiative to phase out the Buena Vista brand that year.[31][32] The studio publishes both Disney and non-Disney branded video games for all platforms worldwide, with titles that feature its consumer brands including Disney, ABC, ESPN, and Touchstone (which is used as a label for Disney). In July 2007, the studio acquired Junction Point Studios.[33]

On June 5, 2008, Disney Interactive Studios and the Walt Disney Internet Group, merged into a single business unit now known as the Disney Interactive Media Group,[34] and it merged its subsidiary Fall Line Studios with its sister studio, Avalanche Software, in January 2009.[35] In February 2009, Disney Interactive acquired Gamestar, a Chinese game development company.[36] On September 8, 2009, Disney Interactive announced that it had acquired Wideload Games.[37]

In November 2010, the executive Graham Hopper left the company.[38] He announced his departure via an internal e-mail saying "the time has come for me to move on from the company and set my sights on new horizons."[39]

DIS in October 2012 announced "Toy Box", a cross platform gaming initiative where Pixar and Disney characters will interact from a console game to multiple mobile and online applications.[40] The first Toy Box cross platform game is Disney Infinity based on the Toy Story 3 game's Toy Box mode crossed with a toy line.[41]

After the purchase of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney Company in 2012, Disney Interactive assumed the role of developing Star Wars games for the casual gaming market, while Electronic Arts would develop Star Wars games for the core gaming market through an exclusive license (although LucasArts did retain the ability to license Star Wars games to other developers for the casual gaming market).[42][43]

At E3 2013, Disney and Square Enix released a teaser trailer for Kingdom Hearts III, after going seven years of not declaring any console Kingdom Hearts game since Kingdom Hearts II. The game would release nearly six years later in January 2019.

Disney Interactive Studios has lost more than $200 million per year from 2008 to 2012[44] during a period in which it shut down Canadian game development studio Propaganda Games,[45] British developer Black Rock Studio[46] and Austin-based game developing unit Junction Point Studios[47] and its co-president John Pleasants stepped down in November 2013 after the launch of Disney Infinity.[44]

2014–2016: Decline and dissolution

On March 6, 2014, 700 employees were laid off.[48] After the cancellation of Disney Infinity, Disney Interactive Studios closed in 2016.[49]

List of games

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The company also publishes games from Q Entertainment worldwide except Asia: Lumines II, the sequel to the puzzle game for the PSP system; Lumines Plus, a new version of Lumines for the PlayStation 2;[50] Every Extend Extra, a puzzle shooter;[51] and a Disney Interactive Studios's Meteos: Disney Edition, the popular Meteos game for the Nintendo DS with Disney characters.[52][53]

The company revealed a lineup of games at E3 2006, which include DIE's Turok, a re-imagining of the video game series of the same name and Desperate Housewives: The Game, based on the hit television show.

Disney Interactive Studios is credited in all entries to the Kingdom Hearts franchise, with the original release box art of each entry to the series having different logos and name of the company seeing as coincidentally, the company is re-branded in between the releases. Notably however, the company is not credited to actually developing the game.[54]

Studios

Moved to Disney Interactive

Former/defunct

References

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  1. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Page 114. Volume 121 (June 1999) Template:Webarchive. Nintendo Power. Accessed April 18, 2016.
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ https://staticctf.ubisoft.com/8aefmxkxpxwl/1j7txOvc9AbSeGfZBghy8N/060db83e9d5b75bac64339405e3442af/RA_2001-2002_UK.PDF Template:Bare URL PDF
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ "Disney's games and internet divisions merging" Template:Webarchive, Joystiq.com, 2008.
  35. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  46. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  49. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  51. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  52. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  53. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  54. ↑ http://na.square-enix.com/games/kingdomhearts/ Template:Webarchive -- © Disney. Developed by SQUARE ENIX.
  55. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  56. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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