"Epic Mickey" Officially Announced, Titled, and Dated

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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"Epic Mickey" Officially Announced, Titled, and Dated



After months of leaks, teasers, and full-on information, the "Epic Mickey" project has been officially announced by Disney, and given an official name and release date (as well as some badass concept art).

We here at The Escapist have been dutifully reporting on Warren Spector's project code-named "Epic Mickey" since we first heard rumors about the title last October [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/88328-Warren-Spector-Making-A-Steampunk-Mickey-Game] when Spector warned hardcore gamers that they might not like his next project.

But I digress: After a month of reveals [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/95252-First-Concrete-Epic-Mickey-Details-Leaked-Like-Ink], Disney has officially announced the game, giving it an official moniker beyond its working title "Epic Mickey." Are you ready for it? Here it is:

Disney Epic Mickey.

Such a huge change, I know! I never saw it coming. The project has been dated, too - we can expect to see Disney Epic Mickey hit shelves Fall 2010. Though the official press release (seen at length below) doesn't share any new details about the story - Oswald the Lucky Rabbit lives in a peaceful cartoon world for "retired" characters, Mickey's mischief messes it up, Oswald swears revenge - there's some cool information in there about how the game's situation mirrors what actually happened with Oswald, Walt Disney's first mascot character.

Beside the press release, though, comes some completely awesome concept art and screenshots: animatronic Donald Duck [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/images/display/60519]. I love concept art, and this game has some really badass stuff.

The full press release, including story, history, and gameplay elements is below:

[blockquote]BURBANK, Calif. - (October 28, 2009) - Disney Interactive Studios today announced the development of Disney Epic Mickey, an adventure-platforming game with light role-playing elements for the WiiTM home video game console. The game stars Mickey Mouse who has been re-imagined for videogames by luminary game designer Warren Spector and his Junction Point game development studio. In Disney Epic Mickey, Spector, a life-long Disney fan, taps into Mickey Mouse's rich history along with the characters and worlds brought to life by Walt Disney to create an edgy and unexpected cartoon adventure.

"Mickey is an adventurous and rambunctious mouse," said Warren Spector, creative director and vice president, Junction Point. "I want to bring his personality to the forefront, place him in a daunting world and connect his spirited character with video game players worldwide. Ultimately, each player decides for him- or herself what makes Mickey cool."

In the game's fiction, a sorcerer named Yen Sid creates a beautiful, whimsically-twisted world where Disney's forgotten and retired creations thrive. Originally, the powerful sorcerer from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" in Walt Disney's 1940 film "Fantasia" was nicknamed "Yen Sid" by Disney animators, although never named as such on screen. In Spector's game, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit - Walt Disney's first cartoon star created in 1927 - becomes the earliest inhabitant of Yen Sid's Cartoon Wasteland after Mickey Mouse is created. Oswald makes the Cartoon Wasteland comfortable for other retired characters as they join him in this magical land. Years pass, and as Oswald dwells in the Cartoon Wasteland, he becomes resentful watching Mickey's popularity swell. When Mickey curiously stumbles upon Yen Sid's map, he makes an innocent yet terrible mistake and inadvertently devastates Oswald's comfortable world. Eventually, Mickey's mistake pulls him deep into the mysterious Cartoon Wasteland to face the destruction he unknowingly created.

"Having Warren combine creativity and innovation with one of the world's most famous characters takes Mickey back to his creative roots and allows fans to deepen their engagement with him as a character - especially in video games," said Graham Hopper, executive vice president and general manager of Disney Interactive Studios. "In addition to Warren's lifelong love of cartoons, films and comics, his visionary approach to game design and storytelling will make certain that this heroic tale of discovery and redemption resonates with Disney fans and gamers alike."‪

Players use the Wii RemoteTM to wield magical paint and thinner to re-shape the world around them. Paint's creativity and thinner's damaging effect give the player robust tools and empowers them to make choices about how they move through the world. Each player's decisions to use paint, thinner or both dynamically changes the world with consequences that affect the environment, interactions with other characters, and even Mickey's appearance and abilities.

"The core of this game is the idea of choice and consequence, and how that defines both the character and the player," says Spector. "By putting the mischievous Mickey in an unfamiliar place and asking him to make choices - to help other cartoon characters or choose his own path - the game forces players to deal with the consequences of their actions. Ultimately, players must ask themselves, 'What kind of hero am I?' Each player will come up with a different answer."

Blurring reality and fantasy, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit's role is as significant in the game as it was in real life. The Walt Disney-created Oswald appeared in 26 silent cartoons between 1927 and 1928 for Charles Mintz, who contracted with Universal for distribution. At this time, Oswald was primed to be Walt's first big animated star. When faced with daunting production costs, Walt asked for more money to ensure the quality of the Oswald cartoons. When a deal could not be reached, Walt lost the rights to Oswald and with the rabbit went much of Walt's staff. Among those who remained with Walt was animator, cartoonist and long-time friend Ub Iwerks, and together they created a new character named Mickey Mouse.

The initial concept behind Disney Epic Mickey originated within the Disney Interactive Studios' Think Tank. The Think Tank conceptualized Mickey as a cartoon character thrown into turmoil. Spector expanded and refined Disney Epic Mickey's concept and built the game for a broad audience fully utilizing the Wii and Wii Remote for accessibility and engaging gameplay.

Developed by Junction Point in Austin, TX, Disney Epic Mickey is slated for a fall 2010 release. The game currently is unrated by the ESRB. For more information, go to www.disney.com/disneyepicmickey [http://www.disney.com/disneyepicmickey].[/blockquote]


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Gigaguy64

Special Zero Unit
Apr 22, 2009
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This is gonna be awesome.
Its going on my to pre-order list!
Right under Tatsunoko VS Capcom.
 

The Great JT

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Oct 6, 2008
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"Disney Epic Mickey"? Really? That's the most original name you can come up with.

To the guy who named this: (Like Stephen Hawking's talkbox) You're. An. Idiot.
 

BehattedWanderer

Fell off the Alligator.
Jun 24, 2009
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Another amazing studio in Austin...Maybe it'll become part of the second Game Triangle in the US (if there's not one already). The animatronic Donald looks like it will have an interesting story behind it, and if the screenshots keep showing that wonderful-looking dark and broody atmosphere, I'll just stay patient for a year or so, then embrace it whole-heartedly.
 

sunami88

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Jun 23, 2008
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After seeing some of the press release screens on destructoid, I must say I'm not sure where I stand on this game. It doesn't look like the concept art, which disappoints me. But it does bear a striking resemblance to Psychonauts (specifically, there's an enemy or two, and also the environments)...

Here's hoping, eh?
 

zombie711

New member
Aug 17, 2009
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im gald to know when to get this game and hope there is extra for the preorder. but i am surprised to see that they would make micky the bad guy in the story.

also do you think they might use marvle characters because THAT WOULD BE EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!
 

300lb. Samoan

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Mar 25, 2009
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will do for Disney what Brutal Legend did for Metal. at least, that's what some hack reviewer is gonna say when it comes out.



stonethered said:
I know I'm pointing out theobvious here but...
Yen Sid= diS neY
80 OH SHIT that blew my mind a little bit

Furburt said:
CantFaketheFunk said:
Furburt said:
You have no idea how funny 'Epic Mickey' sounds to an Irishman.
That's true, I don't.
Mickey means penis in Irish slang.
hehehehehehe i raffed a rittle
 

Aura Guardian

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Apr 23, 2008
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Kojiro ftt said:
I'd love to play it, but Wii... I'll wait for the port.
Doubt there will be a port. Disney games have been more successful on the Wii. Plus, this nice exclusive is a good change from the crap they released on all the consoles.
 

PhantomCritic

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May 9, 2009
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Me likey the concept art and the idea, the only two things that put me off are:
The name, Disney Epic Mickey, seriously? How original indeed...
And the fact it's made by Disney. I have had no respect left for them for years.
 

RheynbowDash

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Jan 26, 2009
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Aura Guardian said:
Kojiro ftt said:
I'd love to play it, but Wii... I'll wait for the port.
Doubt there will be a port. Disney games have been more successful on the Wii. Plus, this nice exclusive is a good change from the crap they released on all the consoles.
Agreed. Its about time the Wii got a GOOD exclusive.