Disney Infinity arriving in June

After months of rumours, Disney Interactive has confirmed the existence of Disney Infinity. Dubbed an "interactive gaming platform" by Disney Interactive co-president John Pleasants, Disney Infinity will be available on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Wii U, PC, and mobile this June.

Developed by Toy Story 3 developer Avalanche Software, Disney Infinity will go toe-to-toe with Activision's popular Skylanders series, offering up a series of figures that can interact with the game via a USB-powered device. In Disney Infinity, characters unlock worlds and levels, which are dubbed Playsets by the game.

Disney following up Activision's Skylanders series with one of its own may come as little surprise, as Activision's franchise has minted half a billion dollars since it launched in 2011.

At launch, Disney Infinity will ship with three figures and their associated worlds: Captain Jack Sparrow, Sully, and Mr. Incredible. There will be over 20 characters and additional playsets available at launch, though Disney did not reveal those today.

Disney also committed to adding more characters and playsets "throughout 2013."

So, how does it work? The three playsets on show--The Incredibles, Monsters University, and Pirates of the Caribbean--offer up slightly different types of game but won't allow characters from different universes to play together, though all of Disney Infinity's characters can interact in the game's Toybox. Toybox is a free-form mode which lets gamers build their own world and events while amassing a virtual toy collection by playing through the game's various playsets.

All playsets allow for multiplayer. Dash, Violet, and Mr. Incredible are featured in The Incredibles' playset, an action-themed affair where an alternate ending sees Syndrome continuing his attacks on Metro city, whereas Monsters University pits Mike and Sully against a rival school in a lighter game that lets you roam around scaring people and features a day/night cycle. Finally, The Pirates of the Caribbean Playset pits gamers against Davy Jones and features its own swordfighting mechanics and lets gamers customise their own ships.

All worlds can also be shared online, though each uploaded world will be moderated before being distributed to the community. Drop-in, drop-out online play is also available.

Regarding pricing, Disney will sell a Starter Pack (the game and three figures) for $75. Playset packs will cost $35, with three-figure packs running $30. Individual figures will cost $13, while power disc packs will be available for $5 each.