DISNEY - DISNEY TO RE-ENTER VIDEOGAME BUSINESS

Disney/Pixar is cutting ties to its longtime videogame partner, Agoura Hills-based THQ Inc., and plans to develop the game version of Toy Story 3 in house, the Wall Street Journal reported today (Monday). The newspaper described the studio's decision as part of an industry trend in which film and TV studios are once again building their own videogame businesses after years of outsourcing their development. Disney, the Journal said, plans to spend $180 million on videogame development this year, increasing it to $350 million within five years. However, it noted, giant media companies have had a notoriously unsuccessful history attempting to enter the videogames market. Brian Farrell, CEO of THQ, said that he wasn't surprised to see Disney decide to go "internal" with Toy Story 3. However, he told the Journal, "I've seen this before and the jury is still out."


19/02/2008