Get ready for the next kid-friendly gaming craze. Disney has just announced an all-new gaming platform that coincides with every Disney character ever created (well almost). Much in the way that Skylanders impressed gaming kids, Disney’s new platform will feature plastic Disney figurines that come to life when placed on the Disney platform. Once activated, kids can then play video games with the plastic characters. Confused? Here’s a rundown of the new gaming platform from Disney.

A Platform and Many Characters

Think of all the Disney characters ever created. There are thousands of characters created by Disney ranging from Jack Sparrow to Buzz Lightyear. Now, imagine if you could purchase the plastic figurine of your kid’s favorite Disney character and make that character come to life in the form of a video game. How? By simply placing the character on Disney’s new platform stand. From there, your kids can make any two characters meet up, fight, and develop a world that fits each character perfectly.

Since Disney has just released the new platform, there aren’t too many characters available yet. But, there will be many different characters available over the next few months. The platform is called Disney Infinity and will come with a slew of Disney Pixar characters. Each character also comes with a “Play Set” that includes lots of puzzles, games, and virtual play.

Players will also be able to grab items from each character’s world and Play Set and place those items in a virtual “Toy Box.” Once a number of items have been gathered, players can use the items in any gaming world. For example, you can pick up an a rocket in one world and use that rocket in another world. The idea is to enable players to build their own virtual world. The Disney Infinity console will be coming to major consoles like the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Wii U. Disney’s press release also states that the platform will be available for mobile use soon. The Disney Infinity platform will be available this coming June and will be sold at all major gaming retailers.

The Next Big Thing

If you have a kid who is into gaming, Disney’s Infinity is sure to be a big hit. Disney will sell a Starter Pack that includes the game plus three plastic figurines for $75. Each Play Set pack will retail for $35, and each figuring will cost around $15. You will also be able to purchase 3-packs of figurines for $30. Since Disney is bound to create thousands of figurines, the potential for profits for Disney is huge. The company has also priced these games reasonably, so parents can easily afford a number of different game options.

So far, the reviews of the new Disney Infinity platform have been favorable, the figurines are well made, and the whole concept is exciting. Could platforms like this one be the future of gaming? Possibly! Disney might even be able to make more profits if the company can branch out to include adult toys (Star Wars toys, anyone?). What do you think of Disney’s new platform? Is this something you’d buy for your kids or is it something that you think will fade away?