Disney shuts LucasArts video game unit

Disney says it will shut LucasArts video game unit which has produced games like The Star Wars Collection. Source: Supplied

FOUR months after acquiring "Star Wars'' maker Lucasfilm, The Walt Disney Co. is closing video game production at LucasArts and laying off staff

A Disney spokesman confirmed the layoffs on Wednesday, but didn't say how many people were affected.

Website Kotaku said 150 people were laid off, citing an unnamed source. Two games that had been in production, "Star Wars: First Assault'' and "Star Wars: 1313,'' were cancelled, Kotaku said.

Disney has been moving away from games that are expensive to make for consoles, like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and toward apps.

One example of the licensing model is Rovio Entertainment Ltd.'s November launch of "Angry Birds Star Wars.''

 

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Disney shuts LucasArts video game unit

Disney says it will shut LucasArts video game unit which has produced games like The Star Wars Collection. Source: Supplied

FOUR months after acquiring "Star Wars'' maker Lucasfilm, The Walt Disney Co. is closing video game production at LucasArts and laying off staff

A Disney spokesman confirmed the layoffs on Wednesday, but didn't say how many people were affected.

Website Kotaku said 150 people were laid off, citing an unnamed source. Two games that had been in production, "Star Wars: First Assault'' and "Star Wars: 1313,'' were cancelled, Kotaku said.

Disney has been moving away from games that are expensive to make for consoles, like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and toward apps.

One example of the licensing model is Rovio Entertainment Ltd.'s November launch of "Angry Birds Star Wars.''
 

View the original article here

Disney Star Wars poster shock

The Star Wars poster that had fans freaking out about the direction of the franchise. Source: Supplied

The Star Wars poster that had fans freaking out about the direction of the franchise. Source: Supplied

FANS of the Star Wars franchise had heart palpitations this morning when they woke up to find this.

But you can relax because thankfully this is not the poster for the next Star Wars film.

While the film is not scheduled for release until 2015, it looks like Disney is already capitalising on their recent purchase.  

From May 17 to June 9, Disney's Hollywood Studios will be hosting their Annual Star Wars Weekends. If you manage to score a ticket to the event (and can afford an airline ticket to Florida) you might be lucky enough to meet some of the stars of the films. Ray Park who played the creepy Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace and Warwick Davis who played an Ewok in the original trilogy are both scheduled to attend the event. 

The festival, aimed at preschoolers, kids and tweens will showcase many of the characters made famous in the films. The event also includes presentations and shows about the galaxy far, far away and under 12s can even attend the Jedi Training Academy where they will be able to master the art of Lightsabers and Jedi mind control.

And if you manage to get through the entire day, you can let loose at the Hyperspace Hoopla, where comedy and dancing combine with Ewoks, Wookies, Stormtroopers and Jawas.

Don’t forget your cameras.

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