Disneys New Consumer Cash Cow is Addicting

         Disney has created a new way to rack up the dough through a social game brought from Japan. Tsum Tsum is similar to Bejewled or Candy Crush in which one must find a stream of “Tsums” or cute Disney characters. You can collect Tsums by buying them with coins earned from playing the game. If you find streams of your Tsums then you can earn points to level up your Tsum. Tsums also have skills that are individual to each Tsum. You start with Mickey Mouse who has the least amount of power. He can only eliminate small amounts of Tsums around him. Chip and Dale are largely considered the best Tsum.

Tsum Tsum was originally created by Disney in Japan using the chat app Line. It comes to show how major corporations are using social media to spread their influences around the world. Gamers can submit their scores on Line and compete with friends to find the highest score, making Tsum Tsum an addicting game for the competitive and the socialites alike.

Tsum Tsum has recently traveled overseas to America this summer. Instead of posting scores to Line one can post scores to Facebook, similarly to games like Temple Run. This, in itself is a powerful marketing tool that can be used to spread the popularity of the game. Being bombarded with posts by friends of games can inspire people to download the game and compete with their friends.

If one can recall this is similar to Flappy Bird. Users would capture shot their scores and post it onto Instagram. This helped spread the popularity of that game.

In addition there are coins and rubies that can buy Tsums and lives. You waste one life each time you play a game. You can earn more coins, lives and rubies by finishing missions and achieving achievements. However, these run out fast and you have the opportunity to trade real money for rubies to exchange for lives and coins. Due to its addicting nature, money can easily be earned for Disney if one buys these rubies.

In addition Disney has released a new line of toys dedicated to the game. Tsums take the form of toys that can be purchased online. In addition they sell Tsums from Japan that aren’t yet released in the United States such as the Alice in Wonderland collection.

Playing this game I personally find myself playing it out of boredom or when I’m waiting on a long line or on a bus or train. I find the Tsum toys adorable, especially the Alice in Wonderland ones. I can say I’m Disney’s ideal target customer.