Star Wars Comes to Disney Infinity!

This August Disney Infinity will take its first step into a larger world with the launch of Disney Infinity 3.0 Star Wars Edition and I can't wait!!

Surprisingly the news didn't come from Disney Interactive but from a German retailer as ComicBook.com reported that the retailer was listing the 3.0 Starter Pack for pre-order on PS4, X-Box One, Wii U, PS3 and X-Box 360 with a release date of 20th August.  The listing has since been taken down and Disney have made no official announcement, but Disney Infinity did tweet "Patience, you must have" in German shortly after the initial leak.

As you can see from the image above the Starter Pack appears to come with a ROTS Anakin Skywalker and a CW Ahsoka Tano along with a Prequel Trilogy/Clone Wars era playset.  It's actually a little less than previous editions have come with as the original starter pack came with 3 figures and 3 playsets whilst last year's Marvel Super Heroes Edition came with 3 figures and 1 playset.  But it's always possible that the playset piece may include multiple playsets so we'll have to wait and see what the official announcement brings.

If you've never played a Disney Infinity they have two main modes of play.  The first is the playsets.  These are set story adventures where you can only use characters relevant to that playset (so basically no bringing Darth Vader into the Clone Wars).  The playsets are generally fun to play but the main draw of Disney Infinity is the Toybox.  This is where you can let your imagination run wild and bring all your favourite franchises together.  Generally, if you can imagine it then you can do it.  Want to team Mickey Mouse up with Darth Vader?  The Toybox is where you can make that happen.

If Disney Interactive follow a similar pattern to previous editions then I'd expect the August 20th launch to consist of the Starter Pack pictured above, 1 or 2 Playset packs (each featuring 2 new characters and an additional playset) along with a wave of 10-15 additional figures and the first wave of blind bagged Power Discs (which offer everything for alternate costumes to power ups, vehicles to environment textures).  Then subsequent waves would bring more figures, Power Discs and hopefully another playset or two and mix in some Disney Originals content as well.

The box art hints at plenty of characters to come, including ANH Princess Leia, R2 & 3PO, Darth Vader, Yoda, ROTS Obi-Wan and I'd put good money on at least an Original Trilogy playset pack being available at launch, maybe a Rebels set as well.  Beyond that, well there's a certain movie called The Force Awakens coming out in December so you can bet there will be no shortage of content on the horizon!

I've loved the first two Disney Infinity games and can't wait to create my own Star Wars adventures in the Toybox!

Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens - A New Republic?

If you've ever read any of the old Expanded Universe then you'll probably know that soon after defeating the Empire at the Battle of Endor the Rebellion came the New Republic and the remains of the Empire eventually formed the Imperial Remnant.  The announcement that the old EU would no longer be part of continuity threw this into question and the Celebration confirmation that by the time of The Force Awakens the Rebels would the Resistance and the Empire would be The First Order didn't seem to leave much room for the New Republic in the new canon.

However, EA's website for Star Wars: Battlefront's free DLC Battle of Jakku seems to tell a different story. One where the Rebel Alliance did, however briefly, become a New Republic.  Here's how they describe it;

"Be among the first players to experience the Battle of Jakku, the pivotal moment when the New Republic confronted key Imperial holdouts on a remote desert planet. Taking place in the aftermath of the Rebel victory in the Battle of Endor, players will experience the events that created the massive, battle-scarred landscape of Jakku shown in Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
Now, this could simply be a mistake, someone confusing the two continuities and using the New Republic name in error, but given how closely these things are likely being scrutinised in the build up to The Force Awakens I doubt it.  Based on this it seems that the Rebellion did succeed in becoming a New Republic before being thrown back into Resistance by the rise of The First Order.

I'm sure we'll learn more when Battle of Jakku launches on 1st December, but we may not have to wait that long.  The Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens will begin 4th September with Chuck Wendig's novel Aftermath (the first in a trilogy of novels from Del Rey set between ROTJ and TFA) and continues in Marvel's new comic series Shattered Empire later that month.  Maybe we'll find some answers there.

Arkham Knight - All Who Follow You

If you're a comic or super hero fan and you like video games then chances are this is the one you've been waiting for.  Rocksteady's epic finale to their Arkham trilogy!  Batman: Arkham Knight!

After a few delays (thankfully Rocksteady decided to take their time and get it right rather than just release it and patch it later) we're now just under 2 months away from the games release on 23rd June.  Over the last few days Rocksteady have been teasing a new trailer "All Who Follow You" and revealing the return of some of Batman's most important allies.  Today they released the full trailer so watch and enjoy;

 

It looks so good!!  This is the reason I bought a PS4 and it looks like it won't disappoint!  And the new team combat is an awesome surprise!  I also love how they've built on the teases from Arkham City Azrael's return as the prophecy he spoke of comes to pass.  Makes me wonder what Hush will be up to in the game!

 

Can't wait to "Be the Batman"!