Disney's answer to Skylanders, Disney Infinity, to launch this June

You don't make over $500 million in sales without inspiring some competition. Disney Interactive co-president John Pleasants announced on stage in the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles that Disney Infinity will release this June. The dramatically-named initiative is a game platform that will encompass both digital games and physical toys that "teleport" into said games, TechCrunch reports.

The idea for Infinity is (aside from cribbing from Skylanders) to "bring together the best of Disney IP, past, present, and future," Pleasants said on stage. The platform will be interactive, more like a toy box than a single game, allowing players take physical figurines and import them into games using a tool that's compatible with copes of the games across consoles, mobile devices and browsers.

The first run of Infinity play sets will launch in June, themed around Monsters University, The Incredibles and Pirates of the Caribbean as well as other, yet-to-be-announced franchises, according to TechCrunch. John Blackburn, CEO of DIsney game studio Avalanche, and Disney CCO John Lasseter joined Pleasants in the announcement to provide more details.

Infinity games will break up into two modes: toy box and play set. The former will allow players to mash up any old Infinity toys they want in a crossover adventure, while the latter will focus on game experiences that are "true to the property," Blackburn said. (Both modes will support multiplayer.) Will Disney Infinity give Skylanders some worthy competition? Give it another six months.

[Image Credit: TechCrunch]

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