It has been 28 years since Don Bluth 
made a video game, but the film and gaming legend is ready to hit “play” once more.
Bluth is teaming with Square One Games for Tapper World Tour, an iPhone/iPad game that updates the classic Tapper arcade quarter-gobbler and blends it with Bluth’s distinctive animation style.
We certainly have no problem getting caught up 
in the fun of playing games, but the people who create them have their pocketbooks to worry about, too. In this column, finance expert and GameSpy contributor Chris Morris guides you through the tricky corridors the gaming industry’s financial side, touching on big-time business decisions and how they matter to the common gamer.
Disneyland might be the happiest place on Earth, but at the game development studios of the theme park’s parent company… well, that’s a different story. Sweeping changes are underway at the studio behind Split/Second and Epic Mickey, as new management takes over and the company’s focus shifts. It’s a harsh reality of business — but it’s a frustrating one for gamers, since after years of struggling as an also-ran in the gaming world, Disney was finally showing some promise.
The situation at the so-called “Mouse House” is pretty grim for traditional game-makers. In late January 2011, hundreds were laid off in an ugly bloodletting at Disney Interactive Studios (DIS) and Disney’s Interactive Media Group (DIMG). And the terse statement that was released by the company hinted that another round could be on the way.
When Disney Interactive Studios laid off hundreds 
of workers last month, insiders warned that the cost cutting wasn’t over. Now the executives overseeing that division have confirmed that.
Cco-president John Pleasants and James Pitaro, speaking at an investors conference this week, said they plan to reduce operating costs by another 25 percent before they’re through cutting. They did not detail how they plan to do that, but most workers feel like the axe is still hovering over their heads.
As Disney was busy laying off 
a substantial portion of its games division this week, it was also doing some hiring.
The Mouse House has lured away Adam Sussman, vice president of Electronic Arts’ mobile division. Sussman will become Senior VP of publishing for Disney Games – further indicating the company’s plan to focus almost entirely on mobile and social titles moving forward.
Disney is swinging the axe at its gaming 
arm, cutting a substantial number of positions as it transitions from being a packaged goods company to a player in the growing digital videogame space.
Disney declined to give the number of people affected, but Mouse House insiders said as many as half of Disney Interactive Studios’ 700 staffers may have been cut.
Disney is swinging the ax at Disney Interactive 
Studios, cutting hundreds of positions, sources have told Variety.
Disney declined to give a number of people affected, but speaking off the record, people who were affected by the move said it could be as much as half of Disney Interactive Studios. Several vice presidents and directors were among those cut. (Variety has been unable to verify the exact count.)
Walt Disney on Monday laid off a significant 
portion of its gaming studio employees, sources familiar with the situation have told CNBC.
The company declined to comment on the layoffs or disclose how many people were affected by the move, but some insiders said the number could be nearly half of the 700-person division.
TRON: Legacy focuses on the right things — Light 
Cycles and Recognizers — but suffers from poor controls and apparent game bugs that cripple the title. Driving and racing Light Cycles can be a breathtaking experience, but because the controls are slow to respond to your actions, it’s akin to a drunk driver hopping onto a motorcycle. You’ll wobble across the road and bump into walls regularly. The game’s shooting sections — using those Recognizers — are fun, but again stumble, since you’re not able to control the vehicles as precisely as you would like to. The game’s multiplayer option is one of its stronger elements, as playing against a live opponent is more fun than challenging the app. And visually, the game is quite impressive. With more polishing, this is a title that could have life long after the movie is gathering dust in your DVD collection.
The Mouse House
is aligning itself tightly with Netflix.
The two companies today announced a deal that will significantly boost the amount of television content Netflix is able to stream from ABC, The Disney Channel and ABC Family.
Graham Hopper, who has guided Disney’s 
gaming division for the past eight years, is leaving the company.
Hopper announced his departure via an internal email Monday afternoon saying “the time has come for me to move on from the company and set my sights on new horizons.”
Chris Morris: Journalist 