The distinctions between hardcore games and casual games (the committed enthusiasts versus the broader market fans) are melting away. That’s evident in the strategy of Graham Hopper, president of Disney Interactive Studios. The company puts 70 percent of its investment into titles that support major Disney licenses, but the investment is growing so much that Disney is pouring a lot of money into original titles for hardcore gamers such as “Pure,” a critically-praised off-road ATV racing game that Disney just launched. In a fairly short time, Disney will be tripling the amount of money that it invests in video games. As Disney builds its gamer cred, it will be interesting to see if it can snare hardcore gamers even as it pursues mainstream consumers and girls.
VB: You started your expansion a few years ago and you’ve kept on buying game development companies.
GH: Yes, it’s an outgrowth of our continued investment in this space. This year, we’re spending $175 million to $200 million in development. Last year it was $130 million and the year before it was between $90 million and $100 million. You can expect to see our output continue to increase. We’ve also said we plan to raise that number to $350 million a year in five to seven years’ time. We aren’t done yet. There are a lot of exciting projects we’ll be announcing in the next 12 months.
VB: So “Pure” is going to get you some real cred among hardcore gamers?
GH: I think so. It’s a really fun game. The team at Black Rock Studios was so excited to have an opportunity. We asked them what really turns them on. They had this idea of taking an ATV game into the wilderness. They created this massive environment with vertigo-inducing jumps. The game took shape and moved in a wonderful direction. It’s more like a trick-racing game than the simulation games they had done before. It’s accessible and fun. It lets people with different levels of competence get something out of it.
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