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GDC 2011: The latest from Disney Mobile
Disney's mobile gaming division had a table claimed in the company's hotel suit during GDC 2011, and I stopped by to see Disney's Jeff Nuzzi and check out the company's latest offerings. There were a few titles on display to be revealed later this year, but the current focus was on JellyCar 3, the latest in Disney Mobile's most popular line of casual gaming apps. The game (the original version of which was designed by a Disney developer in his spare time) is due for an update very soon, which will add new cars, the ability to import your own pictures for cars and a new level pack called "Time and Space" to play around with. Nuzzi also talked to me about the Tron app (released with the movie last year) and how the company's general strategy around iOS apps is going. Read on for more.
Tron app updated with Light Cycles
Disney's Tron movie is coming up quick, and today, the official Tron app (which has been out since Comic-Con, hosting exclusive previews and news from the movie) has added another new feature: Light Cycle battles. Yes, you can download the official app for free, and play a fun little 2D version of the famous Tron Light Cycle battle game right there in the app. The whole thing is pretty simple -- just swipe to change direction, and of course the goal is to leave a light path that will block your opponents' bikes (or you can create a field trap by drawing a rectangle with your Light Cycle). When you add in the tank game that was released a little while back, the app is definitely worth a download. I got to see and play this app at Disney last week during an event there, and then talked to Disney Interactive's Jeff Nuzzi about the app and Disney's future plans for it. Disney already tried this "free app portal" method with Toy Story 3, and that one worked pretty well. Nuzzi said the same thing is happening with this Tron app -- "it's two great games," he told me, "wrapped around a lot of promotional content." Disney's original plan for Toy Story 3 was to include some premium experiences in with the free content, but that didn't work out as planned. "It was really a very complicated app, and I think the fans out there, the early adopters, people that are familiar with Toy Story, knew how to navigate and get through there, but then a lot of first time users and iPod touch users weren't able to connect to Wi-Fi and had trouble downloading the app." In the end, Disney sent the Toy Story 3 app completely free, and that's why this Tron app is a free download as well. Plus, Nuzzi and his company plan to keep updating the app with Tron content and information even after the movie releases. "As the movie goes through the box office and into more of a franchise, we can deliver news about the DVD or upcoming events," Nuzzi said. "It really is a portal for all things Tron and it's meant to live on beyond just the movie." The movie hits theaters on December 17, but you can download the free app with all of its extras right now.
