Activision 'flattered' that Disney is joining 'toys-to-life' category made famous by Skylanders

Activision's vice president of consumer marketing, John Coyne said that the company is flattered by the announcement that Disney Interactive is working on a "toy-to-life" game, a category that was made famous by Activision's Skylanders series.

Disney Interactive announced today that Disney Infinity — a sandbox game featuring characters from Disney's and Pixar's brands — will include collectible physical toys that can be "brought to life" in the game world. This is similar to Skylanders, an Activision franchise where players connect physical figurines to a dock, which then brings the character into the game.

Speaking to Forbes, Coyne said of the announcement: "We are thrilled by the incredible success that the Skylanders franchise has had in such a short period of time.

"We are also flattered that one of the leading family entertainment companies is joining our toys to life category. We continue to focus on delivering innovative and immersive entertainment experiences to kids around the world and are pouring more creativity into our games. As a result we are well positioned to continue leading the category."

Disney detailed some of the features of the game here and also spoke of the possibility of including Marvel and Star Wars characters.