Last year Disney introduced a new line of interactive toys called Playmation featuring Marvel characters like Iron Man. Although the sets received good reviews from us and many others, The Wall Street Journal reports that sales have been disappointing. This has led to apparent layoffs as well as delays for future Playmation sets including those inspired by Star Wars and Frozen.
According the WSJ, Disney is now setting its sights on incorporating more augmented reality (AR) technology akin to Pokemon Go — the mobile app which has recently become a phenomenon. A Disney spokesperson told the Journal that the company is “bullish on the blending of physical and digital to create new kinds of connected play experiences.” They added that Disney was “working closely with outside partners and testing new technologies to bring an even more advanced active play product to market.”
Star Wars toys that utilize AR are said to be in the early stages of development. If and when they come to market, it’s unclear if they will still bear the Playmation branding.