The IP library of Disney, which encompasses Marvel, Star Wars, 20th Century, is a massive goldmine of classic and modern hits ready to be adapted into video games. The only problem is, Disney is no longer interested in making games in-house. The media conglomerate has instead adopted a licensing approach that makes its IPs available to developers and publishers interested. Despite this, games based on Disney IP are rare, something the company wants to change. At the DICE Summit in Las Vegas this week, Senior VP of Games and Interactive Experiences, Sean Shoptaw, said Disney wants to “empower” developers to use its catalogue of IP. “I’m here for one specific reason: to empower you to do really unique things with our [catalogue],” he said, as reported by THR. “We want to tap into the power of creatives across the industry.”
Shoptaw was motivated by the success of recent, original games based on Disney IP, such as Spider-Man, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Spider-Man sold over 13 million units so far, with a sequel rumoured for next year. Fallen Order was likewise a hit for EA, exceeding the publisher’s expectations with over 8 million copies sold. “We want to dream big and look forward to all the things we can do together,” he added. It’s not quite clear if Shoptaw’s speech means Disney will make it easier for developers to license its IP in any way, or if the executive is simply reiterating public knowledge in the development community. For now, you can expect more Star Wars games from EA, and Marvel’s Avengers from Square Enix.
