NEWS: Apple Executive Joins Disney Metaverse Team

Blending the physical and digital worlds in one environment is what the metaverse is all about, and it seems Disney is ALL about the metaverse these days.

We’ve talked in the past about what a Disney theme park metaverse is and why you should care, Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s comments on the metaverse, and the new executive appointed to oversee Disney’s metaverse. But now we’ve got ANOTHER metaverse update to share!

According to Variety, Mark Bozon, who was a top gaming executive at Apple, has joined the Disney metaverse team. Bozon was recently hired by Disney to serve as the “Senior creative leader” for Disney’s “cross-divisional Next Generation Storytelling initiative.”

Back in May of 2022, Bozon Tweeted that he would be saying goodbye to Apple to go to “an absolute dream job.”

Bozon has since Tweeted that he is “Beyond thrilled to work with the best and brightest creative minds in the world” over at his new job with Disney. Bozon continued, saying “what an absolute dream come true. As a lifelong fan I’m humbled and excited to get started. ”

Over at Apple, Bozon’s most recent position was games creative director for Apple Arcade. Bozon was hired by Mike White, the Senior Vice President of Next Generation Storytelling and Consumer Experiences at Disney. White reports to both Kareem Daniel (the chairman of Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution) and Josh D’Amaro (the chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences & Products).

So just what will Bozon’s role as “senior creative leader” for Disney’s “cross-divisional Next Generation Storytelling initiative” include (or, as Variety also calls it, VP of Next Generation Storytelling creative experiences)? According to Variety, Bozon will lead the creative vision for the team and “turn that strategy into executable plans.”

It’s expected that Bozon will start to build a team to work with Disney businesses across a variety of areas including TV, parks, gaming, movies, and more. Creating that multidisciplinary team will help Disney deliver a more “interconnected” experience for consumers.

Variety reports that Disney had indicated that the metaverse means different things to different people. So Disney, under the leadership of White, has “coalesced efforts under the Next Generation Storytelling banner and defined a strategy focused on creating ‘new canvases for storytelling and audience engagement’ spanning digital, physical and virtual experiences. ”

The Disney Theme Park Metaverse’s official definition is: “A shared magical world, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual space.”

One thing that has been discussed when it comes to the metaverse and Disney is Windows to the Wild program (under development). With Windows to the Wild, Disney will let guests experience animal interactions through augmented reality.

But the Metaverse isn’t without its potential risks or concerns, as former Disney CEO Bob Iger pointed out. Toxic behavior is one of the things Iger pointed out as being a potential risk Disney will have to evaluate and consider as they create a Metaverse of their own.

Still, that doesn’t seem to be stopping Disney. We’ve seen them partner up with T-Mobile to help develop some advanced storytelling capabilities.

We’ve also seen them take other steps to create more immersive storytelling moments and move toward the creation of their own metaverse.

To see more about just how Disney is forming its own metaverse, click here.

We’ll continue to keep an eye out for updates as to just how this metaverse may impact the way you enjoy things from Disney both at home and in the parks. To see some BIG ways Disney could change in the future (including when it comes to technology) click here. And stay tuned for more Disney updates!

What do you think about Disney’s creation of a Metaverse? Tell us in the comments!