Have you ever wondered what would happen if Mike and Sully from Monsters Inc. got into a scrap with the Sheriff of Nottingham’s guards from Disney’s Robin Hood? Would Ariel from the Little Mermaid be able to stop Captain Hook from taking control of the seas? Can Mickey Mouse’s magic really compete with that of Jafar’s from Aladdin? These crossovers are about to come to life, but not in a new nighttime fireworks show. Disney is going to release a new digital card game called Sorcerer’s Arena. This game promises to let heroes and villains from the extensive Disney (and Pixar) library battle. The developers are currently looking for audiences to take part in the beta sign up.
If you’re not familiar with digital card games then let’s get you up to speed. Digital card games are not just about solitaire and poker. there are actually video game versions of the popular collectible card games/trading card games (CCG/TCG). You may have heard of CCG titles like Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon, and Yu-Gi-Oh! These are turn-based card games that require players to manage resources, build defenses and make strategic attacks. There is no one correct way to play the game. Different cards have different strengths and weaknesses. It is up to the player and their style of play to determine which deck or combination of cards works best for them. The biggest of these games can earn hundreds of millions of dollars a year for their parent company. Digital versions of these games are just about as popular, and are becoming more accessible thanks to mobile adaptations.
The king of the digital card frontier is Hearthstone. Developed and published by Blizzard entertainment – it was originally called Heroes of Warcraft. The Warcraft franchise was a perennial best selling real-time strategy series for the PC that led to the creation of a massive online role-playing game called World of Warcraft. The franchise earned Blizzard an estimated $9+ billion in revenue over its lifetime, and a big-budget live action movie to boot. Hearthstone features iconic characters from the Warcraft series and is no slouch in the sales department either. Released on Mac, PC and mobile devices in 2014 Hearthstone is insanely popular. With $414 million in revenue, it accounts for more than 25% of the digital card game market. Globally, digital card games hit $1.5 billion in 2018 and are expected to hit $2 billion by 2020. Of course, Disney would like a piece of that ever-growing pie.
The Disney company already has an expansive mobile library, from puzzle games to role-playing and action titles. If you like cartoons, pirates, or Star Wars, there is a title for you.
Marvel was the first in the modern family to get their own digital card game. Marvel Battle Lines was released in October 2018 and developed by NEXON Company. The free-to-play game has gained over 90,000 downloads since its debut. It earns over $40,000 per day. Those are numbers that Disney hopes to crush. Sorcerers Arena is being developed by glu, a San Francisco company best known for their celebrity tie-in games.
Have you ever played Restaurant Dash featuring Gordon Ramsay? What about Kim Kardashian: Hollywood? These mobile titles have millions of players, and have earned the publisher millions of dollars as well. Disney could have a hit on their hands, as long as they learn from the leaders in the industry. Having a great game and marketing it is only part of the equation. Blizzard doesn’t just rely on updates to keep Hearthstone fresh. They are constantly fine-tuning the balance of the game, creating expansion packs, all of the things that a publisher is expected to do. They are also active in the community itself.
Hearthstone is a popular title for the Twitch streaming service. Gamers have their own channels where they live stream mobile, console, PC and even arcade games to millions of fans. Disney has to make sure that the most popular streamers find a reason to share this game. Blizzard is also active in esports and sponsors tournaments. Marvel does this and often features a Contest of Champions tournament at comic book conventions. If Disney wants to capture a whole new audience they have to appeal to the community. Sponsoring some tournaments, and engaging with esports figures and popular channels is a start. This would really help their game grow. If you are a fan of digital card games you can sign up for the Sorcerers Arena right now. Expect a review on MiceChat when it’s officially released!
https://www.sorcerersarena.
Written by Noe Valladolid, edited by Michelle Valladolid
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