NORTH HOLLYWOOD, February 20: Disney Online, part of the Walt Disney Internet Group, has created Disney Online Studios, a new team that will focus on building, operating and publishing an expansive lineup of games, virtual worlds and online social communities.

Steve Parkis, a Disney Online veteran, has been promoted to senior VP and will lead the newly formed group, reporting to Paul Yanover, the executive VP and managing director of Disney Online. Parkis will lead the Disney Online Studios team in publishing content that spans virtual worlds, casual online games, interactive and creative activities and social communities. The team will publish both internally and externally developed initiatives that utilize existing Disney characters and stories, as well as original intellectual property created specifically for online.

The formation of Disney Online Studios combines the talents of several of Disney Online's Internet teams. Among the groups joining the team are the creators of the award-winning Disney.com XD (www.disney.com/xd), a highly interactive broadband destination that combines games, video and community elements.

The newly formed division will also include Disney Online's Virtual Reality Studio, a group that started in Disney's Imagineering division before moving online to create virtual worlds that include Disney's Toontown Online (www.toontown.com) and the recently launched Pirates of the Caribbean Online (www.piratesonline.com). In addition to the existing resources, there will also be a significant expansion of the development, community, operations and publishing teams to more fully address growing opportunities in the online games and community space.

Taking on an expanded role within Disney Online Studios will be Mike Goslin, the VP of virtual worlds and one of the lead developers of Toontown and Pirates of the Caribbean Online, who has been appointed to guide the development of online virtual worlds and communities.

In addition to expanding and growing Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online, Pirates of the Caribbean Online and Toontown, Disney Online Studios has previously announced development on virtual worlds built around the Disney Fairies franchise, which will be launched later this year, and the animated film Cars. More than 4.5 million personalized fairies have been created at DisneyFairies.com, which will ultimately become the gateway to the virtual world. The team is also actively looking to build and publish more virtual worlds and an expanded array of online games, interactive activities and social environments for kids and their families.

Disney's portfolio of virtual worlds also includes Club Penguin, which was acquired in August 2007.

"Online games and community continue to be a key focus of our entertainment content," stated Yanover. "As the number one ranked site for kids and families, Disney.com reaches more than 27 million unique visitors a month, and far and away the top reason guests come to our site is for games and other interactive online entertainment."