The Walt Disney Company is merging two of its divisions, the Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG), its digital media unit behind Disney.com and Club Penguin, and Disney Interactive Studios (DIS), its video gaming unit behind Nintendo DS online world DGamer, according to an internal memo sent by Disney CEO Bob Iger and posted by PaidContent.

The new unit, labeled Disney Interactive Media Group, will be led by WDIG president Steve Wadsworth and will have global responsibility for developing and distributing "all Disney-branded interactive digital media and entertainment for all digital interactive platforms." Existing management teams from both units will continue to opera in the combined group.

The move to merge the two divisions was attributed to the company's desire to create "a unified Disney-branded experience and community across all connected devices." Disney believes the integration of WDIG and DIS' activities comes at a timely point when console and handheld games are becoming more and more connected to the internet, and more users are looking to the internet and mobile devices for games and interactive entertainment.

Said Iger: "Digital media is a high priority for our company, and focusing all of our Disney-branded interactive digital media efforts in one group will ensure we are best positioned to maximize this emerging and dynamic opportunity. We have made fantastic progress through the efforts of Disney Internet Group and Disney Interactive Studios, and the combined organization will maximize the experience, expertise and talent of both groups across all platforms to be a world-class interactive digital media company."