Disney Cancels “Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experience” Department

According to reports, a person familiar with the matter said that Disney has canceled its “Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experience” department, which is developing a metauniverse strategy as part of the company’s large-scale restructuring. It is expected that the company will lay off about 7000 employees in the next two months. According to people familiar with the matter, the department is led by Mike White, a former consumer product executive at Disney. The department is responsible for using Disney’s rich intellectual property rights to find ways to tell interactive stories in the form of new technologies. Currently, about 50 members of the team are all unemployed. White will remain with the company, but his new role is unclear.

Foreign media: As part of the layoff plan, Disney will cancel its metauniverse department

As part of a large-scale restructuring, Disney has canceled its “Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experience” department, which was working on developing a metauniverse strategy. According to a person familiar with the matter, the move is expected to result in the layoff of about 7000 employees in the next two months. The department was led by Mike White, a former Disney consumer product executive, and tasked with exploring new ways to use Disney’s intellectual property rights to create interactive stories through new technologies. As a result of the cancellation, approximately 50 members of the team will be unemployed. White, however, will remain with the company but his new role is unclear.

Outline

I. Introduction
– Introduce the topic of Disney cancelling its “Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experience” department and laying off 7000 employees.
– Briefly explain the department’s purpose and leadership.
II. Why was the department cancelled?
– Explore the reasons behind the cancellation of the department and its metauniverse strategy.
III. Impact on employees
– Discuss how many employees will be affected by the department’s cancellation and potential implications for them.
IV. Future of interactive storytelling at Disney
– Analyze how the cancellation may impact Disney’s ability to tell interactive stories in the future and its competitors in this field.
V. Conclusion
– Sum up the main points of the article and provide final thoughts

The Article

Disney’s “Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experience” department had been tasked with creating a metauniverse strategy that would utilize Disney’s vast intellectual property in new and interactive ways. However, the company has cancelled this department as part of a large-scale restructuring effort. One insider familiar with the matter disclosed that as many as 7000 employees are expected to be laid off within the next two months as a result of this move.
The department was headed by Mike White, an experienced consumer product executive with a track record of success at Disney. The goal was to explore novel ways of utilizing Disney’s intellectual property to tell stories through the use of new technologies. Unfortunately, these plans will never come to fruition. In the wake of the cancellation, approximately 50 team members have been left without jobs. While Mike White will remain with the company, the nature of his future position is as yet unclear.
The questions that immediately come to mind are: Why was the department cancelled? What is the impact of this decision on employees? How will this affect Disney’s future storytelling capabilities?
The most probable reason for the cancellation is that Disney has decided to shift its focus towards its existing streaming platforms, such as Disney+, rather than creating new or experimental ones. Additionally, given the pandemic’s impact on the entertainment industry, Disney may have had to make difficult decisions to remain financially viable. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to estimate the precise reasons behind the decision.
Now let’s explore the impact of this move on employees. It’s never easy to be a part of layoffs due to restructuring. Employees lose their jobs, their stability, and their benefits. Moreover, layoffs are especially difficult in the current economic climate. Nevertheless, it’s not just the employees that are affected by the cancellation of the department. It is also the creative and technological goals, and the possibility of future and innovative storytelling at Disney that may have suffered.
Disney’s decision to cancel the department could also have repercussions on its competitiveness in the market for interactive storytelling using new technologies. Players like Netflix, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook have already established themselves in this growing industry. They have created new technologies that combine immersive experiences, gaming, virtual and augmented reality, and interactive narratives. Disney was working on its own metauniverse strategy to stay relevant in this field. With the department’s cancellation, it’s unclear how the company intends to stay competitive in this market or make advancements in this field.
In conclusion, Disney’s cancellation of the “Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experience” department is a significant loss for the team, as well as Disney’s creative and technological presence in the industry. The cancellation of the department is a part of a larger restructuring initiative and uncertain economic times, and it’s uncertain whether Disney will pursue this field again in the near future.

FAQs

1. What was the “Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experience” department?

The “Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experience” department was a team at Disney responsible for developing a metauniverse strategy to utilize Disney’s intellectual property in new and interactive ways for storytelling.

2. What happened to the team members of the department?

After the cancellation of the department, approximately 50 members of the team have been left without jobs.

3. How will the cancellation of the department impact Disney’s future in interactive storytelling?

It is still unclear how Disney will pursue advancements in the market of interactive storytelling using new technologies following the cancellation of the department.