Disney has been in the video game industry even before every company wanted to venture into adapting their works. Since the 1980s, they had their own studios, high-budget adaptations, positioning themselves as a powerhouse in the video game world. What’s most intriguing about all of this is that, starting from the 2000s, something changed in their video game policy. They stopped paying much attention, selling off studios and licensing with an unusual disinterest. At least, until now.
According to Bloomberg, there’s an internal revolution happening at Disney. Executives close to Bob Iger, the company’s CEO, are pressuring him to acquire a major video game publisher. Among the options, the name that resonates the most is EA, proposed by some of these executives.
However, this doesn’t seem like something that will happen quickly or without complications. Bob Iger is in his second term at the helm of Disney, and while the first term was marked by significant acquisitions — he was responsible for purchasing Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox — his second stint is characterized by austerity. Seeking less risky moves, it’s logical that executives are pressuring him, as it’s not the kind of move typically expected from the company’s CEO.
Currently, Disney’s policy is to license its IPs to external companies. Recent examples include their collaborations with Square Enix for Marvel’s Avengers, Ubisoft for Star Wars: Outlaws, or Electronic Arts for the successful Star Wars Jedi titles and the upcoming Black Panther game. The success of these collaborations explains why Disney executives would be pressuring for an acquisition: they could also exploit these licenses for their film section. This raises the question of whether Bob Iger will ultimately succumb to the pressure from the executives. And most importantly, when.
