Despite Its Name, Disney Universe Is Not an MMO

Today Disney announced a new platformer called Disney Universe, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and Mac. The premise is that for the first time, a Disney game is mixing together elements — locations, characters, etc. — from all of their properties. That includes the works of Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and the live-action Walt Disney Pictures.

Cutesy avatars (is it just me, or do they look kind of… Sackboyish?) “suit up” as iconic characters from more than 40 Disney properties. Disney Universe is playable as up to 4-player co-op, so you could conceivably play “dressed” as such disparate characters as Buzz Lightyear, Sam Flynn (Tron: Legacy), Captain Jack Sparrow, or Cinderella. Six separate worlds will be explorable within the game, all of which are inspired by major Disney films. There are objectives to complete and enemies to fight, but the overall thrust of the game hasn’t yet been explained.

One draw of the game is that when you select a Disney character to “suit up” as, you gain not only that character’s appearance, but any powers and abilities they possess as well. After launch, Disney Universe will get lots of purchasable DLC in the form of new worlds/levels, character costumes, and more.