Is This the Future of the Video Game Industry?

By Steve Heller – Aug 26, 2013 at 7:45PM

NYSE: DIS

Walt Disney

Market Cap

$209B

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(0.18%) $0.21

Current Price

$113.92

Price as of April 24, 2024, 4:00 p.m. ET

A new "freemium" model has arrived.

With gaming console sales showing signs of continued weakness, video game developers have become more creative to attract sales.

Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI) pioneered a new gaming concept where toy figurines take the center of the gaming experience with its Skylanders gaming franchise. Now that the concept has grown to become a $1.5 billion franchise for Activision, Disney (DIS 0.18%) has entered the fray with its recently announced Infinity gaming system.

In the following video, tech and telecom analysts Eric Bleeker and Jamal Carnette sit down with Fool contributor Steve Heller to discuss the video gaming industry's shift into what we're calling the new "freemium" gaming experience.

Eric Bleeker, CFA, has no position in any stocks mentioned. Jamal Carnette has no position in any stocks mentioned. Fool contributor Steve Heller owns shares of Walt Disney. The Motley Fool recommends Activision Blizzard and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Activision Blizzard and Walt Disney. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.