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'Hogwarts Legacy' review: A massive game, alive with magic
Hogwarts Legacy is alive with magic. It’s a massive and gorgeous open-world RPG that extends far beyond the walls of the wizarding school, with mysteries, danger and cute creatures packed into every corner. It’s the coolest work of Harry Potter fanfiction I’ve come across in years.
'Hogwarts Legacy' is delayed until February 10th, 2023
It's coming to PC, PlayStation and Xbox on that date, with Switch release timing to be revealed later.
'Hogwarts Legacy' may allow players to create transgender characters
Harry Potter creator JK Rowling has made comments that were widely perceived as transphobic.
Disney Infinity 2.0 swings to Vita in May with special Spider-Man
Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes will arrive on PlayStation Vita in May 2015, Avalanche Software tweeted over the weekend. The Vita version of Disney's latest sandbox game will feature Black Suit Spider-Man, which VP of Production John Vignocchi noted will be exclusive to the Vita's starter pack for the game. The pack will come with a Bluetooth-enabled base and will be compatible with PlayStation TV. The Vita version will be about eight months late to the party, as Disney Infinity 2.0 first launched in September for a number of other platforms: Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U. Disney issued the game as a stand-alone download for returning players last month and confirmed Disney Infinity 2.0 for Vita in June. While Disney Interactive laid off roughly a quarter of its staff in March, the division posted $116 million in annual operating profit in November. [Image: Disney Interactive]
Disney Infinity takes Interactive division into profit and beyond
Disney Interactive posted $116 million in annual operating profit, which is the first time Disney's gaming arm has made a yearly gain under its current setup. The figure represents the division's profit for the fiscal year that ended September 27, 2014, underlining the impact of Disney Infinity and its array of collectible figures since launching in August 2013. It's not all been plain sailing for Disney Interactive this year, after the division reportedly laid off around 700 employees in March 2014, roughly a quarter of its staff. Disney Interactive President James Pitaro said at the time, "These are large-scale changes as we focus not just on getting to profitability but sustained profitability and scalability." A month later, Pitaro revealed Disney Infinity had notched 3 million starter pack sales and an estimated $500 million in revenue. The game's follow-up, Disney Infinity: 2.0 Edition, launched with a Marvel-boosted line-up in mid-September. In its financial statement, Disney said the sequel's shorter window ahead of the fiscal results "partially offset" the Interactive division's Q4 profit of $18 million, which was still up from the previous year's figure of $16 million.
Upgrade Disney Infinity Wii to Wii U free of charge
Still on the fence about buying a Wii U? Disney Interactive is offering a new reason to move to Nintendo's latest home console by allowing Disney Infinity players on Wii to upgrade to the Wii U version free of charge. Beginning today, those that own the Disney Infinity Starter Pack on Wii can download the Wii U version of the sandbox game from the eShop, including the game's multiplayer components. The offer arrives just in time for the next game in the series, Disney Infinity 2.0, which stars Marvel's super heroes when it launches on September 23. The upgrade deal also makes sense for the publisher, as Disney Interactive would certainly love for the series' sizable fanbase on Wii to make the trek to Wii U, given that Disney Infinity 2.0 won't be available on Wii. [Image: Disney Interactive]
Marvel meets mayhem in Disney Infinity 2.0's Toy Box trailer
Marvel's superheroes invade Disney Infinity's sandbox-styled Toy Box mode in the latest trailer for Disney Infinity 2.0, showcasing the game's expanded options for user-generated content. Toy Box 2.0 allows players to create detailed interior areas and minigames that take advantage of character-specific abilities. Of course, if you just want to see Thor pilot a Tron light cycle, that's also an option. A Toy Box-focused Combo Pack will be available when Disney Infinity 2.0 premieres on September 23 for the PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Wii U. [Image: Disney]
Disney Infinity 2.0's Toy Box pack stars Stitch, Merida
Following the recent news about Disney Infinity 2.0's Toy Box, Disney Interactive revealed a combo pack for the game that's centered on the mode. The Toy Box Combo Pack will be a new way to buy the game without all those pesky Marvel Super Heroes, as it stars Merida (Disney's Brave) and Stitch (Lilo and Stitch). The Toy Box Combo Pack will include a copy of the game, the Disney Infinity 2.0 base, one poster, figures for both Merida and Stitch as well as two Toy Box game discs: "Stitch's Tropical Rescue" and "Brave Forest Siege." The starter pack will launch November 4 in North America and November 7 in the UK. Disney Infinity 2.0 will launch September 23 for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U. [Image: Disney Interactive]
Disney Infinity 2.0 hits North America on September 23.0
Update: Disney Interactive confirmed the game's release dates for Europe. It will hit the continent's mainland on September 18 before arriving in the UK on September 19. The Marvel-stuffed Disney Infinity 2.0 is officially hitting North America's store shelves on September 23, a date that's been rumored for a while. We've confirmed with Disney the release date applies to the PS4, Xbox One. Wii U, Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the sequel. Disney also confirmed the pre-order program GameStop's been advertising, which bundles in an extra $14-value Disney Infinity 2.0 figure, is available at "top retailers nationwide." We reached out to Disney to find out the figures are available in the promo - UK retailer GAME says players can choose between Nick Fury, Hawkeye and Iron Fist.
Disney Infinity 2.0 out in September, says official webcast
Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes is soaring onto shelves in September, according to an official weekly webcast. At the 8:28 mark in the video, Executive Producer John Vignocchi says, "Definitely check out all the Avengers that are going to be part of the 2.0 edition of Disney Infinity out this September." Now, pinches of salt at the ready, because official announcements from earlier in the week only noted a fall window, and nothing more specific than that. Also, when Disney's official fan club let slip of the news a bit early, it noted an August launch, not September - that was all swiftly retracted ahead of the announcement proper. Finally, when we reached out to Disney a UK PR representative reiterated a fall window. If September is accurate, however, it means Disney Infinity 2.0 gets the jump on the new Skylanders, which is due to hit North America on October 5 and Europe on October 10. As for Disney's own magic box that turns plastic into gold, Infinity 2.0 calls on characters from Marvel's huge roster of heroes. The new characters include Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Iron Man, and promises of plenty more besides. The new game also brings expanded worlds for the heroes to fly around in, and a deeper Toy Box to sink time into. All the additions and expansions won't prevent returning players from using characters, power discs and Toy Box saves from the original game, because they'll all be compatible with Infinty 2.0. [Thanks, Tim!]
Disney Infinity 2.0 arrives this August with Marvel heroes [Update]
Update: D23 has since posted a correction, noting it "erroneously reported about the launch of the next chapter of Disney Infinity" and that the information it provided was incorrect. It added that further information on the future of the series will be revealed on April 30. Original story: Disney Infinity 2.0 is slated to launch this August, according to a since-removed snippet from Disney's official fan club site, D23. While the D23 blog entry in question is still available to view, a cached version of it notes that the Disney Infinity follow-up "is coming in August 2014, and a teaser trailer can be viewed at Marvel.com," likely referencing the teaser posted by Marvel earlier this month. "The teaser promises such Marvel-ous additions to the game as familiar Marvel characters, objects, and vehicles-the possibilities are infinite," the site continued. The previous sandbox-style adventure game from Avalanche Software did wonders for Disney Interactive, driving its revenue to $403 million in the first fiscal quarter of 2014. The company also saw losses in Q2 2013 and Q3 2013 to the tune of $54 million and $58 million, respectively. That led to layoffs in its games and Internet divisions in March that numbered 700, at which point Disney said it plans to scale back annual game output "by as much as 50 percent." We've reached out to Disney to confirm the release window for Disney Infinity 2.0 and will update as we learn more. [Image: Disney]
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Disney Infinity drives Interactive group to $403 million in revenue
Disney reported $403 million in revenue for its Interactive group in its fiscal first quarter 2014 financial results, a three-month period that ended on December 28, 2013. It is a 38 percent increase over the revenue earned by the Interactive group in Q1 of 2013, $291 million. The leap in earnings for Disney Interactive is thanks to strong sales for Disney Infinity, Avalanche Software's sandbox adventure game that features popular Disney characters and Skylanders-like physical toys to go with them. Of course, Disney Interactive is just one slice of the Mickey Mouse house's pie; The Walt Disney Company reported $12.3 billion in revenue for the quarter. While everything sounds splendid for Disney, the Wall Street Journal reported layoffs for Disney Interactive that measure in the hundreds just a few days ago. [Image: Disney Interactive]
Disney Infinity gets 'Tron Highway,' four other free toy boxes
Five new toy boxes are available for free in Disney Infinity, Disney announced. One of the toy boxes is Tron Highway, which offers puzzle-platforming and racing action along a blue, neon-lit track. The other four free toy boxes this week are Sugar Mania, Monster Rally, Cosmic Platformer and It's a Trap, all of which are available on Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U. The courses can also be accessed by Disney Infinity: Toy Box players on iPad. Additionally, Disney announced the "Extreme Sports Challenge," in which players are encouraged to submit their best toy box "sports arenas" over the course of the next week. On October 3, the developer will choose a handful of featured creations and make them available for download as well.
Disney Infinity Toy Box iPad app out now
The Disney Infinity: Toy Box app is now available on iPad. Announced with one other companion app in August, the Toy Box app allows players to built and sync worlds to Disney Infinity, unlocking new characters, props and decorations along the way. Players start out with 60 items to build toy box levels with, and any items unlocked in the main game become available to use in the app. Disney Infinity: Toy Box is compatible with iPad 2, 3, 4 and iPad Mini devices, and is free until October 5. Disney did not specify how much the app will cost afterwards.
Disney Infinity gets five free toy boxes, including familiar-looking 'Toy Columbia'
Disney Infinity players on Xbox 360, Wii U and PS3 now have five free custom-built toy boxes to check out, courtesy of Disney Interactive. Among the five levels offered is "Toy Columbia," described as a "sprawling city in the sky with infinite possibilities." The level looks strikingly similar to the same Columbia in BioShock Infinite, though Disney doesn't (or rather, can't) say it outright. The other four toy boxes now available are Sky Gauntlet, Jungle Cruise, Trench Run and Blue Breakout. Disney Infinity is also available on PC and 3DS, though the DLC wasn't mentioned for those platforms in Disney's announcement.
Disney passed on Iron Man, Star Wars games to focus on Disney Infinity
Disney tightened its focus within the video games sector in order to concentrate on the upcoming multiplatform release of Disney Infinity, the Wall Street Journal reports. As part of its restructuring efforts, the company canceled a previously unannounced Iron Man-licensed game that had entered production. Disney Interactive additionally passed on its option to produce multiple Star Wars-licensed games following its parent company's purchase of Lucasfilm earlier this year. According to the Wall Street Journal's report, Disney Infinity cost the company more than $100 million to produce. The risk is great, but Disney counts on a big payoff, as Activision's competing Skylanders series has raked in more than $1.5 billion in sales since its launch in 2011. Disney positions Infinity as a boost for its faltering Interactive division, which has incurred more than $1.41 billion in losses since its formation in 2008. "If Infinity does well, it bodes very well for the bottom line of this unit," Disney CEO Robert Iger told the Wall Street Journal. "If it doesn't do well, the opposite will be the case." "It's a Hail Mary with a tremendous amount of pressure to be a hit," said an unnamed source who recently left Disney's video game division.
Disney Infinity rustles up Toy Story set, makes new pals
Skylanders rival-to-be Disney Infinity unveiled 'Toy Story in Space' as its sixth play set, along with a whole bunch of new playable characters for the Toy Box mode. The game's play sets include physical figures that grant access to in-game worlds and stories, in this case the Toy Story universe. Buzz Lightyear and Jessie are the packed-in figures, while a Woody figure is available separately. Infinity's Starter Pack, priced $75, includes the game, three play sets, and a figure for each one. Those sets are The Incredibles, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Monsters University, and they come with Mr. Incredible, Jack Sparrow, and Sully figurines. As ever with toys, some play sets are sold separately, and Disney has announced three other additional play sets so far. They are Cars, The Lone Ranger, and the newly confirmed Toy Story in Space, each one adding around six to nine hours of gameplay and priced $35. Unlike the other two, Toy Story in Space won't be available when the game launches for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Wii, and 3DS later this week - it's scheduled for October. Disney also announced new figures for the Toy Box mode, the game's communal sandbox where collected characters can be brought together for crossover antics. While we'd prefer Wreck-It Ralph to get his own launch play set, the big lug does feature as an additional Toy Box character along with co-star Vanellope. The other newbies are Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey from Fantasia, Tangled's Rapunzel, Phineas and Agent P from Phineas and Ferb, Anna and Elsa from upcoming film Frozen, and finally, maybe the pick of the bunch, The Nightmare Before Christmas' Jack Skellington. The newly announced Toy Box characters will roll out starting October through to next year.
Disney Infinity pushed back to Aug. 18 NA, Aug. 20 overseas, Aug. 23 UK
Disney Infinity signs on in North America on August 18, with the international release in most regions set for August 20. Speaking to the New York Times, Disney Interactive co-president John Pleasants said the multiplatform game's two month delay from an initial June window was one of "opportunity" rather than necessity."We could deliver in June if we wanted to," Pleasants told the New York Times. "Will a two-month timing change help us? Sure, of course. It gives us a little more time to add bells and whistles and make sure it really sings and pops."When approached, Disney Interactive provided us with the folllowing statement from Pleasants: "We have moved the launch date for Disney Infinity to August 18 to capitalize on the critical fall retail season."A Disney Interactive spokesperson also told Joystiq the UK release date is August 23.Disney Infinity, which incorporates physical Disney toy figures and spans many of the company's high profile properties, looks a powerful competitor to Activision's Skylanders series. While the New York Times reports Pleasants "downplayed comparisons" between the two franchises, he did say of Skylanders Swap Force's fall release that "it's good to be first and really lean into the most important selling season of the year."
Disney reaches into the Toy Box with the new Infinity platform
The signs were all there in the rumors leading up to yesterday's big Disney Infinity reveal in Los Angeles. Disney's been working on a new gaming "platform," designed to bring all of its properties together in one IP spanning across multiple consoles and outlets. But the one note we missed was the most important: this game is connected to a series of real toys that interact with Disney's digital worlds, Skylanders-style.There are a few important differences, but the similarities between Activision's enormously popular toys-into-games platform and Disney's new Infinity initiative are quite striking. Both are inspired by smaller developers with big ideas: Toys for Bob on the Activision side, and Avalanche Software on Disney's, which developed the "Toy Box" idea in a much smaller form as part of the Toy Story 3 game. Both are big, expandable product lines with lots of options for console (and eventually mobile) titles, and both take retail-friendly physical toys and tie them directly into engagement-friendly video game experiences.Oh, and both franchises are probably going to make their owners lots and lots of money.%Gallery-176450%
Rumor: Disney Infinity is a sandbox game for consoles, iOS and Android
Next month, Disney Infinity will be revealed to the press at an event in Los Angeles. Aside from a lenticular invitation, there's nothing else concrete on Disney Infinity right now.According to a Polygon source, what we're going to see is an open-world sandbox game with characters from Disney and Pixar. It mixes elements of Minecraft, such as building, with Just Cause's open-world gameplay – if you played Toy Story 3: The Video Game, it sounds reminiscent of that game's Toy Box mode. In fact, "Toy Box" is a codename for a project that sounds an awful lot like these rumors about Disney Infinity.Disney Infinity is rumored to be on multiple platforms, including current consoles, iOS and Android devices, with development duties falling squarely on Utah-based Avalanche Software, the same developer responsible for Toy Story 3: The Game. According to Polygon's report, the mobile versions of Disney Infinity lacked the building aspects seen in the console versions. It also suggests that Disney considers the game as a "platform" to be expanded with more characters and scenarios as time goes by.
