CEO talks of increased challenges for high-end console games

Disney adjusts 360/PS3 battleplan

Disney Interactive Studios will cut down on the number of PS3 and Xbox 360 games it invests in, as the group shifts its focus to embrace more casual platforms.

CEO Bob Iger (pictured) said that there remains a “huge opportunity” for Disney to enjoy healthy revenues in the game market, but the firm’s investment in high-end console games will be handled with caution.

“It is pretty clear that the higher end console games are a little bit more challenged in the world where not only they are more costly to produce and market, but there is just much more competition from casual games and games on platforms like the iPhone iTouch platform,” he said.

Iger went on to explain a change of strategy for Disney Interactive – an adjustment made in line with the firm’s sales results.

“Disney branded [games] seem to perform better on the Nintendo Wii and DS platforms,” he said, “and on the platforms that are not to the high-end console games. And 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.”

Of those high-end games, Iger added himself to a long list of people impressed so far with the action racer Split Second – a PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 title in development at Brighton-based Black Rock Studios.

Iger also briefly mentioned the rebooted Tron title in development, and of course Warren Spector’s Epic Mickey project for Wii.

“But I would say that our focus is going to be little bit more diverse and a little bit less reliant on highest end console games,” he added.

About MCV Staff

Check Also

The shortlist for the 2024 MCV/DEVELOP Awards!

After carefully considering the many hundreds of nominations, we have a shortlist! Voting on the winners will begin soon, ahead of the awards ceremony on June 20th