How To Reboot Disney Infinity For Next-Gen Consoles in 2024
12.02.2024 - 21:59
/ fortressofsolitude.co.za
Two things are near-universally liked: collecting things and Disney characters. That was the idea behind Disney Infinity, which burst onto the scene in 2013, allowing fans to mix both passions into one – and giving the House of Mouse yet another money-printing machine. The toys-to-life game lets you place physical character figures from Disney and Pixar worlds onto a special platform, scanning them into the game where you could play as Elsa and Wreck-It Ralph side-by-side. It was every kid’s dream come true – and also every Disney adult, of course.
For a few years, it seemed that the House of Mouse had captured magic in a plastic bottle. Figurines were selling left and right, odd art style notwithstanding, with new batches adding even more characters to the world of Disney Infinity. But by 2016, like Cinderella’s carriage after midnight, Disney Infinity crumbled. Despite the early hype and hot sales, the steam ran out quickly. With increasing competition from rivals like Activision’s Skylanders and LEGO Dimensions, Disney surprisingly pulled the plug, leaving fans’ toy collections gathering dust on the shelves.
Is Disney Infinity Coming To The PS5 & Xbox Series X?
Now, in 2024, the toys-to-life fad isn’t as popular as it was in 2013. Even Nintendo’s mighty Amiibos aren’t as essential as they once were. In this landscape, could a Disney Infinity reboot even be a thing? Well, as long as Disney stands as a brand, there will always be a place for collectable merchandising – and that’s precisely why Infinity now has a clear path to success.
While the heyday of toys-to-life may have passed, collecting is as feverish as ever in 2024 – even if the shelves are now virtual as much as physical. Just look at the Funko Pop explosion. Those big-headed vinyl figures are now a millionaire niche, proving fans still crave real-world icons of fictional faves.
Yet, at the same time, digital collecting has also exploded thanks to NFTs. Though the pandemic crypto bubble popped, the NFT mania of 2020 taught companies that fans are hungry for virtual goods and willing to shell out big bucks for digital exclusivity tied to brands they love. It also taught us that “art” is a very subjective term, but that’s a topic for another time.
For Disney, they’re actually harnessing both worlds – from real-world toys like Toy Story action figures to digital collectibles like Marvel NFT comic books. Physical or digital, it shows collectors want to own coveted pieces of pop culture history.
Could this twin-track collecting renaissance revive Disney Infinity? On the one hand, the physical charm was always central – from meticulously sculpted Jack Sparrow figurines to intricately painted Lightning McQueen. Collecting the physical toys was a huge