Will Swampy Be the Next Angry Birds? LOS ANGELES - Will Swampy sink or swim in the Disney big leagues? About seven months ago, Disney's interactive division released a 99-cent game for mobile devices centered on a wide-eyed alligator named Swampy. Players help him find clean water for his shower. The game, called Where's My Water?, quickly blossomed into a global hit, reaching the No. 1 spot on Apple's most popular paid app list in 80 countries. Now comes the big test. While not yet committed to giving Swampy the full backing of its vaunted franchise-building machine, Disney is dipping its toe into those waters. It is introducing a related line of merchandise at Toys "R" Us - stuffed animals, figurines, T-shirts, backpacks - and featuring the character in a 12-episode Web series. Swampy will also make cameo appearances on the Disney Channel. Bart Decrem, senior vice president of Disney Mobile, called Swampy "one of the most beloved characters ever born from a mobile device." That might be a bit much. While certainly popular, Where's My Water? has not had the cultural or business impact of Angry Birds. But Mr. Decrem cannot be blamed for being excited. Disney Interactive is not exactly known for hits. The division, which includes games and Disney.com, has lost money for the last 13 consecutive quarters as the company has plodded through a turnaround effort. What is happening with Swampy offers a glimmer of hope that things may finally be on the right track. Disney wants its digital group, like all of its business divisions, to create characters that can be leveraged across the company's other businesses, from consumer products to television to movies to theme parks. Angry Birds, owned by the Finnish company Rovio, is one model. After their enormous success on mobile devices, the birds expanded to merchandise, and a film is in the works. "You can't just think of mobile as synergy or support for what else is going on in the company," Mr. Decrem said. This is increasingly the main event.