Disney Interactive Studios
Disney Interactive Studios, Inc. (initially Walt Disney Computer Software, later Disney Interactive and Buena Vista Games, Inc.) is an American video game company. It self-publishes and distributes multi-platform video games and interactive entertainment worldwide. Disney Interactive Studios is a subsidiary of Disney Interactive; thus a part of The Walt Disney Company media conglomerate.
Most of the games released by Disney Interactive Studios are typically tie-in products to existing character franchises.
Background
Initially Disney licensed its characters in the early 1980s for the games: Sorcerer’s Apprentice for Atari 2600, or The Black Cauldron for personal computers.
History
Computer software
In 1988, Disney started its own in house gaming unit, Walt Disney Computer Software (WDCS). WDCS generally used third-party development studios to design spin-off games using its existing portfolio of characters. WDCS had little success attributed by senior Disney executives due to low product quality and lack of understanding the differences between film and games.
Blitz Games
Blitz Games (formally known as Interactive Studios) was a division of Blitz Games Studios and was responsible for producing its family titles, which were often licensed games based on well known IP. It was located in Warwickshire, England. It specialized in producing mass-market family games on all console formats using their own middleware.
Blitz Games was the overall company name until 2008 when it was renamed/rebranded to Blitz Games Studios, to better reflect the variety of divisions and it was providing.
On 12 September 2013, Blitz Games Studios announced in an official statement that they had ceased trading after 23 years after being unable to secure funds to sustain the business.
Games
Disney Interactive
Disney Interactive formerly known as Disney Interactive Media Group and Walt Disney Internet Group, is an American company that oversees various websites and interactive media owned by The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiaries.
History
In December 1994, Disney announced that it was establishing a new division dedicated to publishing computer and video game console software, called Disney Interactive. The initial staff consisted of 200 newly hired employees. The company was formally established in mid-1995. On Aug 23, 1995, Disney Interactive formed Disney Online unit.
Buena Vista Internet Group
Disney purchased a one-third share of Starwave on April 3, 1997, for $100 million. Disney on January 1998 registered go.com. Exercising its options, Disney purchased the outstanding shares of Starwave from Paul Allen in April 1998. In June 1998, Disney purchased 43% ownership of Infoseek in exchange for Starwave and $70 million. Infoseek and Disney Online joint ventured in developing the Go Network, an internet portal. With Disney's purchase of the remainder of Infoseek in July 1999, the Go Network, Infoseek, the Disney Catalog, Disney Online (Disney.com and DisneyStore.com), ABC News Internet Ventures and ESPN Internet Ventures and Buena Vista Internet Group are merged into the Go.com company.
