What Happened to Disney Epic Mickey?

Expect the unexpected. This is what I had originally begun to conceive when Disney Epic Mickey was revealed. Now, all the memories of the beautiful concept that once had my attention and instilled faith in the project have been seemingly forgot about… a real shame.

Unlike any Disney game that has graced the gaming platforms in the past, Disney Epic Mickey was a taking a path of a steampunk style that was beyond refreshing; in fact, it was grossly captivating. Featuring favorite Disney characters such as: Goofy, Donald Duck and the bear from Country Bear Jamboree, it had everything a Disney fan could ever ask for. They went further to showcase Disney environments from post-apocalyptic scenes from Disney attractions such as Spaceship Earth from EPCOT and Cinderella’s Castle. As a hardcore Disney fan who favors the dark themes within the medium, Disney Epic Mickey was a snapshot of what my dreams would look like.

What could’ve been

Now that we are getting closer to release and the latest screenshots have been distributed, it has become painfully obvious that they have opted for a different route with the direction of the title. As we stand today, the title’s artwork is very colorful, vibrant and cartoon-like. Were we foolish to have hopes for the steampunk style of the original concept art to see release? Is it too much to ask from Disney for a more adult or darker style of game for the Disney fan who has dedicated their life to the movies, cartoons, theme parks, and all the like since they were a child?

It was originally said that “Epic Mickey is part of an effort by The Walt Disney Company to re-brand the Mickey Mouse character by moving away from his current squeaky clean image and reintroducing the mischievous side of his personality.” If that’s true, then why shy away from the darker image and go back to the silly cartoon-style that the game is now? I favor those who take risks and take a leap of faith. Playing it safe and conforming isn’t what I had perceived when the hype started build around Disney Epic Mickey.

Not exactly what I had imaged

Don’t get me wrong, having played Disney Epic Mickey at E3 and PAX, I think the game is going to be brilliant on all fronts, but I wish they had stuck with the original artwork. Using the post-apocalyptic style would have been a huge step in the right direction for Disney since they have been pigeon-holed as game publisher that creates games that are dripping in teeny-bopper stupidity (obviously not aimed for my demographics) and sing-a-long from their latest popular television show.