The Walt Disney Company could yet become a major player in the global interactive entertainment console market after it announced it has acquired Marvel Entertainment - and 5,000 characters - for $4 billion.

"This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximises the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories," said Robert A Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company.

"Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney." Marvel’s chief executive Ike Perlmutter will be in charge of integrating the firm’s properties within Disney.

"Disney is the perfect home for Marvel’s fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses," said Perlmutter.

"This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney’s tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world."

Currently, Marvel licences its characters to videogame firms such as Sega. But under the new deal, Disney Interactive Studios has the potential to become a major global player by releasing titles based on Marvel’s superheroes under its own brand name.