Quick Look: EX: Disney Infinity

Merchandising: The Video Game.

This looks great, shame they are going to micro transact the shit out of it by going the skylanders 'toys' route.

Oh well.

I don't have any problems with companies making money (that's pretty much the definition of company), or a company making products that kids will love, what I have a problem with is releasing a product, that despite it having taken several years to make and possibly being a quality product, is going to cost parents that buy into it a small fortune. If I'm not mistaken, Johnny V said each 'expansion' is going to cost around $30, now if I'm interpreting this correctly that means two - four (I can't remember what he said) characters with a scenario that will take less that ten hours to 100% completion. When you figure in how many licenses Disney is going to inevitably put into this product, and how many expansions that will end up being, you can do the math on your own as to how much that will cost. When you then figure in that when it's boiled down, it's essentially a retail game (which generally go for $60-80), and each expansion is merely an extended level of said retail game, it kind of becomes ridiculous. Imagine if you owned a game where you had to pay $30 every time you wanted to play a few more levels (oh, wait *cough WoW *cough). Lastly factor in the kids out there who will want to have every piece, and that there are a lot of parents out there willing to indulge their kids every whim. Now, my opinions on that particular variety of parent aside, Disney is essentially using kids to exploit parents out of large sums of cash, and that is what my main problem is.

Only Nintendo/gamefreak can top now this with Pokemon figurines.

So this looks pretty great. I love the concept of Skylanders and this looks... Better. The issue that I have with Skylanders is that while it is an OK game with a really cool concept, it's super easy. I know it's made for kids, but it would be nice if there were some option buried in the menus to make it harder for grown up kids like myself. So please Disney, realize that there are a lot of us out there that are grown ups who like to play with kid's toys sometimes!

Also, it'd be nice if there was some way to download other players' toyboxes, kind of like Little Big Planet. I'm not much into creating gaming spaces (at least not alone), but I'd love to play some of the other stuff that people make.

Finally, properties I'd like to see, Tron and Star Wars are obvious. If I had to offer one up that ISN'T obvious I'd say Treasure Planet. I realize that's a somewhat looked down upon movie, but I really enjoyed it and it's concept

If there's more Tron and Aladdin stuff, I may actually think about getting this. Oh man.

They totally one-upped Activision on the amount and types of overpriced merchandise with in-game effects.

That looks way better than I gave it credit for although I'm kind of disappointed that all figures won't work in all playsets with the missions.

Must have toys:
Pooh Bear
Stitch
Ariel
Sorcerror Mickey
RESCUE RANGERS!!!!!!!!!!! (Gadget, Chip, Dale, and Monteray Jack with Zipper)

And especially in light of the HD remake trailer last week we need some Scrooge McDuck and Launchpad McQuack.....Gizmo Duck would be cool too but let's get the big ones first.

And I would be remiss and hated for all time if I didn't mention my daughters want Tinkerbell.

Boy, Disney Infinity sure looks fun.

I would buy this game in a heatbeat if there was a Guybrush Threepwood section.

Johnny V please put Aladdin in

Please

Corporate dude on the left wants to go home.

Awkward Corporate Guy is my favorite Disney character.

Edit: If this wasn't DLC: The Game, it might be pretty cool. Not interested in collecting hundreds of dollars of toys to get a complete experience, though.

Yea--but what are you actually supposed to DO in the toy box? I am not the creative type and can't really make my own fun in a video game. Looks pointless.

i want to be able to play not just as jack skellington in toy box but have a actual nightmare before christmas story mode

That business robot is really freaking me out....

All the toy box stuff looked alright, but the actual playset campaign looked not so great. Also, I'm sure Johnny V got chewed out by the omnipresent PR guy later about the direction that Tron conversation went, haha! Jeff wasn't letting him bullshit his way out of that one.

In essence I like what they are pitching here, but there is one aspect that gives me real pause for thought; the hard split between story play and the sandbox game. On the one hand it is great that spending money on new action figures also gets you fresh game content (although not being able to slot any character in is a bit of a bummer), but at the same time I wonder how much meat the sandbox mode will have over the long term if you only ever have the content you or your friends can build from scratch. Jonny V mentioned the existence of some scripted content but also made it sound like that will only be instructional in nature - ie, tutorials. Unless they are going to lean in hard and sell this as Skylanders/LittleBigPlanet within a single package (and also offer a simple to use way for people to exchange the content they create - IMO the real strength of LBP) then Infinity may end up as an uncomfortable halfway house, with other games doing individual features better.

I wish I was a kid again.

This actually looks pretty cool. Also, JOHNNY V!

The game looks awesome, but I'm not sure I wanna spend extra money for all the figures.

Love how incredibly out of place and bored the guy on the left looks.

Please make a Hercules playset, oh please, please, please.

This game has an elasti-hand so it's okay in my book.

Agreed. I'd like to use characters where they're not supposed to be used. Keeping the integrity of the "rich disney fiction" shouldn't come before having fun, and my idea of fun would be breaking the game by using an incredible under the sea or playing as Aladdin in a Snow White story. Why? Because it reminds me of when I was a kid. You'd always mix your toys. No kid I ever knew said something like "OH MY GOD YOU CAN'T HAVE DR ROBOTNIC BE THE VILLAIN, WE'RE PLAYING ONLY WITH BATMAN FRANCHISE CHARACTERS IT'S NOT PART OF THE LORE."

I'll never ever buy into this crash grab business model of making essentially hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of DLC/micro transactions and hooking kids in by attaching toys to it. I feel bad for all the mothers out there when this comes out.

That being said, the game does look pretty impressive in it's ambition and diversity with the sandbox mode. It does look much more impressive than Skylanders overall.

It's just too bad more non kiddy/non toy cash grabs game don't have the same ideas as this game because I'd be totally interested in playing a more mature/less exploitive game that has a story mode, lots of characters and also a massive sandbox aspect where you can build/program all sorts of stuff.

I wonder if the PR guy's with Johnny V are holding a gun at him off screen. That guy has a mug like a g-man.

i will never buy the "our graphics are supposed to look like a toy" (i.e. shitty) explanation. just like jumanji's animals were "supposed" to look fake because they were summoned from a board game. seems like an excuse to do a half-ass job.

They have to put some Marvel and Star Wars stuff in there, right?!?!?!

That's like a license to print money. Would love to have a Captain America, Iron Man and Hulk booster pack.

I heart Johnny V. ^_^

I would love to see actual Tron. Both regular and new(Rinzler). Also, Beardy Jeff Bridges from the new Tron.

Maybe the giant gold eagle from Rescuers Down Under.

Darkwing Duck

Also, for the love of all things, someone please bring in Gargoyles. Most under appreciated(by Disney) Disney property ever.

I want the simpsons, yaaaayyyyyy!

Huh, this looks pretty good. I'm not sold on it yet, but I'm interested to see how it goes.

And fuck yes, Johnny V.

Poor Disney Finity.