Monday, December 17, 2018

Disney And Robotic Toy Maker Sphero Go Separate Ways

Watch out robotic toy fans -- Burbank-based Walt Disney and robotic toy maker Sphero have apparently agreed to go their separate ways, meaning the end of the robotic version of Disney's BB-8 and R2-D2, as well as Lightning McQueen and Spider Man. According to Sphero it will discontinue its popular Disney licensed products, due to the declining popularity of those toys. The relationship between Sphero and Disney was first developed within the Disney Accelerator program in Burbank in 2015, when Disney's Bob Iger connected Sphero with Star Wars and its new BB-8 drone. That relationship drew a huge sales uptick for robotic toy maker Sphero, in what had been the most successful outcome of the Disney Accelerator to date. Sphero CEO Paul Berberian said it would stop producing all of the Disney licensed products, but promised that it would continue to support Apps on those platforms "for at least" two years.