We can imagine a tired old Executive at Activision in late 2011, working through yet more paperwork and then coming across sales figures for the experimental Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, a game where the publisher was boldly asking parents and enthusiasts to buy the game and a load of toys. Their eyes would have widened, colour returned to their cheeks, before they ran around the office screaming "Wahoo" over and over again.
That's the feeling they want at Disney, to recreate a perfect storm where NFC-style figurines are as vital as the actual game to those doing the buying. Of course, Disney Infinity isn't launching in the Holidays, but it's been confirmed that it'll arrive in June in North America, with a specific date of 28th June given for the UK.
Meanwhile, pricing has emerged for the U.S. and UK markets that suggest Disney is targeting similarly juicy prices as those claimed by Activision. The starter pack will be $75 in the U.S. on Wii U, while UK prices are set to be £64.99 for the Wii U version and £54.99 for Wii and 3DS equivalents. This starter pack content is fairly predictable, with themes matching much of what was seen in the launch trailer: it includes the game, the Infinity Base, three Infinity figures (Mr. Incredible, Jack Sparrow and Sulley), three Infinity Play Sets (Monsters University, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Incredibles) and an Infinity Power Disc (which acts as a buff for characters).
Details of extras have emerged for the U.S., meanwhile, which is where the serious money is made: figurines will sell for $29.99 in packs of three or individually for $12.99. Don't expect to buy them all, as with 20 accompanying the game at launch it'd cost around $175.93 to complete the collection with 17 extras, assuming the three starter pack figures are included in the overall total. There'll also be packs of Power Discs, basically those buffs/power-ups that we mentioned, that will retail for $4.99 each.
The most expensive extras, and those with the most question marks right now, are Play Set Packs that will cost $34.99. We expect these to be areas of the game world (like those included with the Starter Pack) that therefore include various challenges and puzzles, so they're the equivalent of extra in-game level DLC. It's not clear whether that cost includes one or more of these Play Sets, or if any appropriately themed figurines are included. If a toy or multiple sets are included they could be decent value, whereas if these are just individual Play Sets it could be pricey, even by the standards of this kind of game. We'll keep an eye out for updates.
There's a lot of content to look forward to if you have the excitement and the funds to join in. To the parents out there, our sympathies.
[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 38
Good lord, that's a lotta money!
The starter pack doesn't seem too expensive considering all the stuff you're getting with it..
$12.99 for one figurine? What a rip! Honestly, if you plan on charging that much for extras then perhaps you should consider lowering the price of the actual software, like say $0-$10. Greedy much?
@FubumblR there were people who said they would pay that much... so blame them.
Yeah. Even though the character 3 packs are cheaper than buying three individuals, this is still pricey as hell. Then again, IF I get this, I never intend to catch--sorry--buy 'em all.
Never mind the eventual price hike for Australians, who enjoy a better dollar than America, but are still paying at least 1.5x as much for just about everything
Nevermind, I'm an idiot. But, still, I just don't get it. To each their own, regardless! Just feel like this sort of model is akin to Facebook "pay to play" games. To quote the horse character in Ren & Stimpy, "no, sir! I don't like it!"
Yep. That's what I was afraid of. Awell I'll just collect my most favorite characters. Woody, Buzz, Ralph, Jack Skellington, you're all safe.
Nintendo please take note... there's gold in them thar hills!
Its worth pointing out that this is currently available from Toys R Us in the UK for £49.99 across all versions. That is £15 off the RRP.
In addition, you can use the voucher code 9908087559996 to get a further £5 off.
I've already pre-ordered the Wii U version. Hope this craps all over Skylanders
As Skylanders another game that look interesting, just too expansive if you want to fully experience it >_>;
But I get their point, with skylanders that risked that crazy pricy formula and won, Disney has all the reasons for go confident with the same high prices.
I just deeply hope NO developer will ever made an anime-style game like this!!!
This Toy based games cost too much in my opinion and I prefer to spend differently my moneys, but if an anime style one came out... It would be hard to resist DX
Even scarier... what if Nintendo would make a Pokemon game like this?!?!
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Gosh...I feel like dreams and nightmares are merging togheter... >.<
I'll be set with the game and a Tangled bundle, personally. Desperately need a good Tangled game.
This is ridiculous, I'm sorry for the developers but I hope this sells poorly. It's a ripoff and the characters look horrible.
$30 for one stage? I can buy some really good games for $30.
This is rediculous! I'm paying $75 for the game intially and it only gets me three characters and three stages, you've got to be kidding me, and then you want me to buy power ups for $5! I thought sky landers was bad, but that was just characters, this everything is DLC, most of the game is DLC when your already paying $75 for the game. Which is already pretty expensive. (Rant/)
I haven't seen any gameplay yet, so better be good if they want these price points.
I love Disney, and its collaboration with Squenix. But w/o any influence/hint of Jap gaming standards, I think i'll pass on this one. But its still too early to tell i guess.
That's even more expensive than Skylanders!
@Chunky_Droid Oh yes. It's horrible here. Skylanders cost $8 when they first came out in America and $16 here! Though they're about the same now... $10 there and $12 there... So maybe it won't be that bad. I hope that Disney be generous or at least don't have their donkeys in their heads with the figure releases(I.E. NOT RELEASING ENTIRE BATCHES OF CHARACTERS A MONTH EARLY IN CERTAIN REGIONS AND HEAVILY DEPLETING STOCK ).
@DarkCoolEdge Did you even watch the gameplay? Disney Infinity is an action platformer with a sandbox aspect. Skylanders is a dungeon crawler. They are not similar at all besides the toy aspect.
I think June is a perfect release date. Nothing Skylanders-related will be released then besides possibly some variants and new Sidekicks, neither of which will generate much hype. It also gives people, like me, who are interested in both, an oppurtinity to try it out and "decide" between it and Skylanders before Skylanders 3.
I don't really mind the price... I'll just buy whatever ones I like and ask for the rest during holidays, at least I don't intend to collect them like Skylanders. Getting some things might be hard though. According to an FGTV (whoiamstillboredby) article, when asked one of the producers smiled to the idea of conventional/rare pieces. I hope those are just reprinted variants like Skylanders rather than new pieces or powers, because it would be much more expensive to get them than, say, Metallic Cynder. I could never go to Disney Land, for instance.
i don't know if i will get this. it depends on my kids. if they want it maybe they get it from their birthday. although i could always get my dad to buy it for my son. lol like he did with the skylanders games
They're collectibles. Anyone who has been collecting Disney goods for any length of time knows that you pay a premium for them.
Blooming expensive,but the game looks miles better than Skylanders.
Mommy,Daddy can you get me some Disney Infinity characters Pwease?
Skylanders has "Adventure packs" for $25 which include 1 character, 1 level - about 20 minutes of playtime - and a couple of "buffs". I'm guessing the $35 pack will include more play time.
3 types of Skylanders Giants characters - $10 basic, $12 "lightcore" $15 giants - so that's what Disney is working off of
I'm most interested in the $4.99 discs, as I think that's the way to go in the future for other games. Imagine a 10 pack of Kid Icarus cards for $20 each with it's own chip. These chips are small, you don't need a $10 character to put them in, most credit cards have them and you can hardly find them, my drivers license has one but I don't know where it is. So I like the poker chip size discs. Cheaper and easier to trade with friends at school.
The Infinity stand is much better looking than the SKylanders portal but I don't like that they need to be put on exact locations. My kids are constantly swapping Skylanders characters - 2 kids, 24 toys - and having to hit that spot would annoy them.
Disney will not lose money on this. They won't make any money form us b/c we are not a Disney household, but they'll sell a ton of characters to people who won't even buy the game.
So when does the Disney Infinity section in Disneyland open?
I was thinking of buying this after reading a review and watching some gameplay but now I definitely won't buy it.With 70$ I got Zelda:Skyward Sword with a golden wiimote plus(batteries included),a soundtrack CD and some other stuff but I can't get a full Disney Infinity software?
You know, seeing this game and stuff, I just realized, where's Mickey Mouse, isn't he Disney's mascot, I would love to have Mickey, Donald and Goofy kicking butt and causing explosions, now that would be worth the money I have to pay for these toys and game.
Mickey Mouse will be in the game, I saw a picture with a bunch of tokens and he was on one of them. (AKA He'll get his own world to boot)
To Infinity ... and beyond anyone's budget.
They also better make this a series that'll go on for more games on future consoles and stuff because I don't wanna invest so much money in a one hit wonder.
Gotta get the tangled set, Phineas and ferb set, and the cars set, and jack skellington
No doubt this will be a gold mine for Disney, but they won't get a dime from me. I don't mind DLC because for the majority of games out there, DLC is simply an option, not a required part of the game. I never played Skylanders and I don't have an interest in playing it so I can't comment on whether or not all the figures feel optional or required, but based on this article, Disney Infinity's figures feel required, and for $200, I'd rather buy a new console, or have a sweet nest egg to put towards a new console.
Yeah that's too expensive.
@FubumblR You're not an idiot! Don't be hard on yourself. We all reserve the right to say this is too pricey. Actually, I'm pretty sure the majority feel that way. Myself included.
Just remember that the figurines have memory chips inside of them.
This is cool for children (or over-grown child at heart adults) who love Disney, but I don't like putting so much money into one game. People complain about dlc a lot but these figurine collection games (and to a lesser extent, TCGs) are practically DLC: the Game, except worse because you can easily spent thousands on them.
We (my son's $25 GC, my shopping) just spent $17.33 on 1 Giant character yesterday. (That was the real TRU $ and NY tax, not eBay). So if this non-descript no name character can be sold for $17, well known Disney characters will be flying off the shelves.
I still can't believe we spent $17 on a toy, but we did get a $30 Ninjago Lego set for $13 @ Target to balance the scales of economic justice.
We are so not getting Disney Infinity.
Mad Doctor, I choose you! And Zurg, Captain Hook, Donald, Oswald, Hopper...
I'm definitely a disney fan but I still got my sensibilities in tact (that and I have no kids either which helps) so I probably won't even bother with this one... I might get a Nightmare before christmas toy but let's see...
Prices for disney collectables are WAY too much for me...
I wonder id someone will have a great idea and add online co-op to this title
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