It seems even a game filled with Marvel superheroes, iconic Star Wars characters and Disney's most beloved mascots is capable of failing. Disney Infinity, the company's popular toys-to-life sandbox game, is officially being discontinued after the release of three annual titles and countless plastic toys that turn into in-game characters.
As our own Sam Rutherford said in reaction to the news, "What the [expletive] am I going to do with all my figures?" It's a good question, particularly for those who have invested tons of money into various Disney, Marvel and Star Wars-based interactive toys in hopes that they'd be useful for years to come. While we don't have all the answers, here's what we know so far about the fate of Disney Infinity.
Why is Disney Infinity shutting down?
According to an earnings report, Disney is discontinuing its "self-published console games business" entirely, likely due to decreasing sales. The company's interactive media division reported an 8 percent decrease in profits from last quarter, possibly due to stiff competition from toys-to-life rivals such as Lego Dimensions and the popular Skylanders series. There's only so much plastic parents can afford.
In a statement to GamesBeat, a Disney representative said that "the lack of growth in the toys-to-life market, coupled with high development costs, has created a challenging business model."
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Is there any more Disney Infinity content on the way?
As Disney Infinity GM John Blackburn noted in a blog post announcing the decision, Disney Infinity will receive two final content packs. Three new characters from Alice Through the Looking Glass will come out later this month, while a play set (which includes new game levels) based on the upcoming film Finding Dory will launch in June.
Disney Infinity's most recent major add-on was Marvel: Battlegrounds, a play set that allows up to four Marvel characters to duke it out, arena-style. The pack arrived just in time for Captain America: Civil War, but there's no telling how much longer fans will be able to enjoy it.
Will the Disney Infinity servers stay live?
That's currently a big question mark. Many of Disney Infinity's features require an online connection, such as the ability to access new Toy Box levels, so the game would be significantly more stagnant (or may not work at all) if the servers shut down. Disney has yet to comment on the future of the game's servers, but one thing's for sure — fans on Twitter are not very optimistic.
What's next for Disney games?
While Infinity is dead, you can still expect to see your favorite Disney, Marvel and Star Wars characters in various games on mobile devices and consoles. According to Kotaku, Disney told investors that it will continue to license its properties to third-party developers. If you want to get your cutesy Marvel fix elsewhere, Lego Marvel's Avengers is still getting new content packs through the summer (and doesn't require toys to play). Star Wars: Battlefront is also receiving a steady stream of DLC, and Titanfall developer Respawn entertainment confirmed that it's working on a new title set in the beloved sci-fi universe.
Here's hoping that most folks who played Disney Infinity also happen to be toy collectors, because the "life" in toys-to-life may soon come to an end for these figures. Disney Infinity was a novel experiment that will likely be remembered for allowing Mickey Mouse, Iron Man and Luke Skywalker to all hang out in the same playground, but even a product that special isn't immune from falling to the wayside in a crowded market for kids gadgets.
