Disney delays anticipated ‘Disney Infinity’ game to August

Disney’s ambitious and highly anticipated Disney Infinity video game has been delayed by two months and will not be released until August now.

Infinity was announced in January and combines action figures with the digital world. According to The Los Angeles Times’ Hero Complex, each figure saves a player’s data and progress, as well as giving them access to a free-form ‘Toy Box’ mode that lets them built their own digital worlds. At the time of the announcement, Disney showed off Jack Sparrow, Mr. Incredible and Sully from Monsters Inc and announced a June release date. Now, the multi-platform game won’t be out until Aug. 18.

In an interview with The New York Times, Disney Interactive’s John Pleasants said that the decision was made to make it closer to the holiday season, which now starts in October. “The date became an issue in terms of them asking, ‘Is there a better opportunity here?’” Pleasants explained.

Pleasants added that the game will at least come out before the next edition of Activision’s incredibly popular Skylanders, which has similar gameplay, with action figures that play a role in the digital realm. Since its 2011 launch, Skylanders has grossed $1 billion.

“We could deliver in June if we wanted to,” Pleasants said. “Will a two-month timing change help us? Sure, of course. It gives us a little more time to add bells and whistles and make sure it really sings and pops.”

Infinity was set to be a major release that would get Disney Interactive moving again, since the unit has been more focused on social media games as of late. It was expected that the game would help Disney Interactive show a profit in 2013, but now those dreams will have to be pushed to 2014 with the delay.