Tag Archives: pixar

Apple-polisher left Mouse mighty

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Oct. 5 marks the first anniversary of Steve Jobs’ death. And in the past year, the financial world — mindful of Jobs’ obsession with detail and ability to drive the Apple staff to innovative heights — has wondered about the company’s prospects without him. That also applies to Disney and Pixar. Apple may have been Jobs’ favorite child, but Disney (where he was the largest single shareholder after the company’s 2006 merger with Pixar) was a close second.

In the short-term, things are soaring. Disney shares are up roughly 70% since Jobs’ passing, while Apple has jumped 86%. Both companies work several years in advance on products and strategies, meaning Jobs’ fingerprints will be on upcoming releases for a fair bit longer (if only tangentially).

Read more at Weekly Variety

Analysis: THQ revamps its business strategy a few years too late

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THQ’s announcement Wednesday morning that it was abandoning the kids’ licensed video game industry shouldn’t really have come as a surprise to anyone who has been watching the company lately, but it’s still a move that’s going to alter the structure of the industry.

While it has desperately been trying to change its image for years, THQ is still largely known for its kiddie games. That is, after all, what happens when your company builds its fortunes on titles for the toddler set. The decision to shed that facet of its identity might be coming too late to have a dramatic impact, though.

Read more at Gamasutra

Is Microsoft’s Kinect Kids Program Coming Too Late?

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Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris considers if Microsoft “might be making its move a little too late to corral the kiddie audience” with its recent unveiling of kid-friendly Kinect partnerships.

The introduction of the Kinect For Kids initiative certainly sounds wise, given the company’s push in that direction. After all, who can argue with creating family-friendly titles with some of the biggest names in family entertainment?

The problem is: When you look at Microsoft’s longer-term goals, things become a bit squishier.

Read more at Gamasutra

Women’s Impact Report: Darla K. Anderson: Made big play with ‘Toy’

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When you’ve produced the biggest-grossing film of 2010 to date, you earn a little R&R.

Darla K. Anderson chose to take that in Kauai, her favorite of the Hawaiian isles, after “Toy Story 3,” which has grossed north of $1 billion worldwide. Batteries recharged, she’s now deciding what her next project will be at Pixar — and toward the top of that list is sweet revenge.

Read more at Daily Variety