Disney has made headlines this week with the announcement that the company will be acquiring LucasArts, the company responsible for the world-renowned, internationally-recognized Star Wars franchise.
The transaction cost more than $4 billion, and it will have a hugely significant effect on the video game, movie and pop culture world.
However, does it have the potential to move the brand into the online gambling world?
We all know that movies and video games make great themes for branded slots games. Some of the most popular slot machines are based on video games, such as Tomb Raider and Hitman, while movies are beginning to see an introduction into the market. Lord of the Rings online slots made its debut two years ago, and remains one of the most popular Microgaming slots titles.
Since then, Star Trek branded slots and games based on other blockbuster films have been well-received in the online gambling world. We’re looking forward to the introduction of Star Wars as an online slots game, since it is one pop culture franchise that has stayed out of the gambling scene.
Batman, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings and Marvel Superheroes are among the pop culture icons that have become popular online slots brands, but Star Wars has evaded this treatment. With the recent acquisition by Disney, industry insiders have reason to believe that the popular Sci Fi movie series will make its online gambling debut.
Disney has also recently bought Marvel Comics, which is a popular slot machine brand. Although the branded slots partnership was coined before the acquisition, Disney has allowed the branding to continue, as new games have been released. With experience in the online gaming world, Disney may be interested in launching the Star Wars brand at online casinos.
On the other hand, the acquisition of LucasArts by Disney has some negative consequences for its other gaming ventures. LucasArts’ console video games have not fared well in recent years.
The Old Republic MMORPG and The Force Unleashed (available for Xbox and PS3) received largely negative reviews, and it is entirely possible that Disney will scrap the console gaming department at LucasArts.
According to Disney, the company will “focus more on social and mobile than we are on console.” So far, LucasArts has neglected the social gaming market, which bears a great deal of potential for such a largely recognized brand. This announcement also lends itself well to the possibility that Star Wars could be the basis for new social casino games.
Only time will tell what is in store for the gaming market as a result of LucasArts’ acquisition. We are looking forward to discovering its impact on the gaming world.
