Spector was asked to "reinvent" Mickey

By Oli Welsh Published 26 October, 2009

Chose Wii for its "congenial audience".

In a fantastic, revealing interview with Game Informer, Warren Spector has spoken about how he came to be making a Mickey Mouse game - Epic Mickey - for Disney.

Spector revealed that Disney executives told him, "We want someone to reinvigorate this character, reinvent this character," after Spector had initially refused the idea. "You've done an incredibly good job of making Mickey lame and irrelevant to anybody over the age of eight over the last thirty years. I don't do games for kids," he'd said.

But the idea that he could make a character he loved relevant again was enough to win Spector round. "You know, this is probably impossible, we're probably going fail. I'm in," he said.

Spector, a keen student of animation history, felt that Mickey's character had progressively been neutered from his early days, and become dull. "He was so successful and so popular that taking any risks with him risked the entire future of the company. Who'd be crazy enough to do that? Wait, other than me... He's kind of been laying fallow, which is a great opportunity for us."

Spector's vision for the mouse is to "go back to those late 20s, early 30s cartoons where he was mischievous. Mischievous is the nice way to put it. He was a badly behaved mouse. He was a troublemaker," he said. "I want to see people going out there and saying, 'I want to be Mickey Mouse,' not just wearing a Mickey Mouse watch or t-shirt."

The game that became Epic Mickey was worked up by Spector from a concept produced by a Disney think-tank. But it almost didn't happen when Spector refused Disney's demands that they buy his studio, Junction Point. Nothing happened for over a year before they convinced him to change his mind.

Spector assured readers that, despite its radically different setting, Epic Mickey would offer the emergent gameplay and choices with consequences that his games are known for. "I have no interest in making games that don't do that. None," he said.

The choice of the Wii as an exclusive platform the game was a demographic one, he said. "Well, think about it. Would you really want to tackle convincing Halo or Grand Theft Auto players that they want to be Mickey Mouse? Would you really want to do that? In terms of finding a congenial audience, let's go for a platform that's known for Mario and Link and now Sonic."

And what does the future hold for Spector at Disney after Epic Mickey is made? "I want to do a Duck Tales game. Convince the world that a Duck Tales game needs to be made. I can't convince anybody at Disney to let me do a Duck Tales game. How can that be?"

Epic Mickey will be shown at a press conference in London on Wednesday evening. We'll be there. Excited. Look for a full report later in the week.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (61) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • varsas #1 2 years ago

    Ooo...Duck Tales game. Let's hope Epic Mickey does well!

  • bad09 #2 2 years ago

    Nice get some video footage next week EG please, I'm desperate to know if I need to start saving pennies for a Wii.

    Don't agree with the bollocks on the Wii choice, I not starting a Wii slagging but we all know they could have made a truly beautiful game on the HD consoles. Telling me all I want is Halo and GTA is so wrong you could not believe! Sure they are great games but FFS I want variety, still I guess everyone thinks this way that's why 360/PS3 are getting so boring now.....

  • The-Bodybuilder #3 2 years ago

    Screw the rat, and GIVE ME DUCKTALES.

  • the_dudefather #4 2 years ago

    The perfect Duck tales game was already made for the nes by capcom...

    and the perfect Chip n' dale game, Talespin game, Darkwing duck game...

    There is still room for a Gizmoduck game though!

  • varsas #5 2 years ago

    @bad09: He didn't say that 360/PS3 gamers only want Halo/GTA games but I think he's right that Mickey Mouse has more of an affinity with the majority of Wii gamers.
    Edited by 1 at 26/10/09 @ 10:13

  • chrisjm #6 2 years ago

    didnt play the nes duck tales but the megadrive one was brilliant.
    a plunger using wii remote, could work i suppose but bet it would turn into mini games.

  • TheTingler #7 2 years ago

    Warren Spector doing a Duck Tales game... drool.

  • Razzajazz #8 2 years ago

    @chrisjm

    Thant wasn't Ducktales, that was Quackshot! :)

  • chrisjm #9 2 years ago

    Aghhh, your so right razzajazz.
    it was still briliant (as was castle of illusion)

  • Evolution #10 2 years ago

    Quackshot was pretty legendary.

  • SAMagic #11 2 years ago

    If anyone can revitalise Mickey, Spector can.

  • Segnit #12 2 years ago

    DUCK TALES OMG!


    Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! make it happen!

    Can't wait for both this and Duck Tales.

  • Shinetop #13 2 years ago

    Duck Tales game needs to be made. Duck Tales for NES was great, Duck Tales - The Quest for Gold was even better. I want to have multiplayer matches against Flintheart Glomgold and scramble for the Bombastium so that I can have Gyro build the teleporter before he can. GIVE IT TO ME SPECTOR!

    Either that, or drop the Duck Tales license, contact Don Rosa, and collaborate with him to make a ridiculously deep historical themed game about Scrooge McDuck.
    Edited by 1 at 26/10/09 @ 10:38

  • mkreku #14 2 years ago

    If Warren Spector's name wasn't attached to this.. oh, curse thee, Deus Ex, for your excellency!

  • JahB #15 2 years ago

    not sure spector's doing himself a favor here.

    there's already significant hype for this game, and bringing in a comparison to one of the best disney platformers ever looks to me like the man's digging himself a molyneux sized hole...

  • Solvalou #16 2 years ago

    You fail Mr. Spector - your idea of ps3 and xbox demographics is by large a stereotype. I played ICO on PS2, I am waiting for the Last Guardian, and I would surely play Epic Mickey too.

  • varsas #17 2 years ago

    @Solvalou: So you're saying that that majority of 360/PS3 owners are the target audience for Mickey Mouse?
    Edited by 1 at 26/10/09 @ 10:55

  • Shinetop #18 2 years ago

    I think he's saying that you can't make any resonable deduction of a person's Mickey fandom by the console they own.

  • Mono_X #19 2 years ago

    TBH I'm struggling to think of a game with a comparable cutesy art-style that has been released and been successful on Xbox 360/PS3.

    Little Big Planet perhaps?

  • PlugMonkey #20 2 years ago

    "I played ICO on PS2, I am waiting for the Last Guardian, and I would surely play Epic Mickey too. "

    But that's exactly what he's saying. ICO was a massive, massive, massive bomb! He's not talking about you (or Bad09) personally, but he's aiming his game at the console with the largest established market for it to avoid it becoming another brilliant, innovative, heart achingly beautiful, critically acclaimed commercial disaster.

  • Shinetop #21 2 years ago

    @Mono_X: Epic Mickey is cutesy?

    Anyway: Braid.

  • bad09 #22 2 years ago

    varsas it's Disney cartoons who on earth hates Disney cartoons no matter their choice of games console?

    Of course what you mean really is the majority of kids are on the Wii so really it depends on what EM is. Is it an ageless great game or some kiddie cash stealer like most kids software these days?

    If it's a game then look at the age range of the 360/PS3, many owners grew up playing Mickey and Donald games! Seeing as many Wii owners only buy stuff only cleared by celebs (BTW you seen the new Ant and Dec one- eeewwwww!!!) you could argue 360/PS3 owners are actually a better audience to target....

  • varsas #23 2 years ago

    @Shinetop: I agree on that point; one can not judge an individual's view can not be inferred from a majority view. However can Spector's idea of the demographics be disputed? Wouldn't most agree that the audience on the Wii is more aligned with that of Mickey Mouse?

    @bad09: I'm a Wii owner and I don't like being put into the category of only liking games aimed at children or from celebrities just as much as 360/PS3 owners don't like being pigeon-holed into the Halo/GTA-only crew. If it's an ageless game it should go multi-format but clearly there was a decision made to be exclusive and in that situation I think the Wii is the best choice for the reasons already mentioned.
    Edited by 2 at 26/10/09 @ 11:14

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #24 2 years ago

    NES Duck Tales is a classic of its time.

  • Markusdragon #25 2 years ago

    "Lets make Mickey relevant again! But not relevant enough to be on any system other than the wii."

  • Mono_X #26 2 years ago

    @Shinetop: Mickey Mouse is cutesy, epic or not.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #27 2 years ago

    "You've done an incredibly good job of making Mickey lame and irrelevant to anybody over the age of eight over the last thirty years... ...go back to those late 20s, early 30s cartoons where he was mischievous. Mischievous is the nice way to put it. He was a badly behaved mouse. He was a troublemaker,"

    Maurice Sendak's with you, mate...

    http://ww w.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/oct...

  • chrisjm #28 2 years ago

    cant beat the original B&W cartoons & early colour ones, shame that they havent all been released in the UK and in the US they were just a limited release.

  • spekkeh #29 2 years ago

    OMG PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET HIM DO DUCKTALES.

    /cruise control

  • Mono_X #30 2 years ago

    @Plugmonkey.

    Exactly: ICO - a game with almost universal critical acclaim released on the most successful console of all time. Manages to sell... 700k copies.

  • CallousB #31 2 years ago

    Hopefully it will feature lots of pointer based gameplay. It'll be a bit of a let down if the painting is simply controlled by a waggle (unless it uses Motionplus). I wasn't keen on the first screens but the character animation vids look great.

  • chukcyQ #32 2 years ago

    I want to see Epic Mickey eat some pussy,

  • duffster #33 2 years ago

    If it's Warren Spector, I'm interested.

  • kangarootoo #34 2 years ago

    "I'm a Wii owner and I don't like being put into the category of only liking games aimed at children"

    That isn't what he said. He didn't say that Wii owners like kids games, he just said that 360 and PS3 owners don't (on the whole) like Mickey Mouse. So perhaps he is saying that Wii owners like ALL kinds of games, whereas 360/PS3 owners are narrower in their prefs.

    Whether he is right or not, lets at least get the facts right.


    And is the platform choice really the most important topic of discussion we can take from this?

  • kipper #35 2 years ago

    In my opinion Donald was always edgier than Mickey. After all it was Donald who forced his nephews to smoke a whole box of cigars as punishment, for example. Life was often crueller to Donald than to Mickey.

  • OldK1ngCole #36 2 years ago

    Have to agree with some of the earlier comments about why he chose the Wii as the exclusive platform. I would have loved to see this on X360 or PS3 just because they have the ability to make the game world feel so much more atmospheric (not sure I've worded that right, but hey it's monday).

    I own all three consoles and just feel that the X360 or PS3 is where this should be, would be a break from the Twitch Shooters/Driving games that everybody wants to produce these days. Maybe it's me getting old but I would love a game I can sit back, relax and play rather than having to be "locked in" so to speak.

  • FortysixterUK #37 2 years ago

    Oh please...Deux Ex Mickey Mouse Thief.

  • LiamK #38 2 years ago

    Interested, but I think you can do better for your follow up game, Warren. I'm now waiting for the interview where you said "Yeah, Epic Mickey was a hit, and we thought about doing DuckTales, but then we decided 'screw it, Let's... get... dangerous!'"

  • smelly #39 2 years ago

    Quote : "Lets make Mickey relevant again! But not relevant enough to be on any system other than the wii."


    ... which happens to be the best selling console of this generation....

  • JahB #40 2 years ago

    ... which happens to be the best selling console of this generation....

    ...and which happens to have the worst catalogue of all consoles this decade. i don't understand the why the wii fanboys keep rambling the "sold the most" message, that still doesn't mean it's any good.

    if units sold was a quality measure, britney spears would be one of the world's best musicians and mcdonald's would be the world's best restaurant.

  • PlugMonkey #41 2 years ago

    if units sold was a quality measure,

    He didn't say it was a measure of quality, he said it was the best selling.

    It IS a pretty good measure of the size of the market, it's also the most family orientated console, and this is a family orientated IP. And why does the Wii having the worst catalog of the decade make you so fundamentally opposed to a cool sounding game coming out for it. Wouldn't that be a good thing?

  • Stompy #42 2 years ago

    if units sold was a quality measure, britney spears would be one of the world's best musicians and mcdonald's would be the world's best restaurant.

    We're talking about mainstream console gaming. Units sold is a measure of what is possible - even when it comes to downloadablei indie titles. If something isn't popular, you won't see as much of it.

  • JahB #43 2 years ago

    And why does the Wii having the worst catalog of the decade make you so fundamentally opposed to a cool sounding game coming out for it. Wouldn't that be a good thing?

    because i've been there before. i don't even remember how many times a cool sounding game was announced for the wii, and in 99% of these cases the developers didn't even bother to try making a good game, they just churned out shovelware. and they can afford to do that because the overall quality of the console's catalog is so low, that by now, individual wii games are being held to a very low standard by default.

  • PlugMonkey #44 2 years ago

    JahB - You seriously think that someone like Spector is going to aim to underachieve because he's bringing something to the Wii market? You think he'd try harder if he had the 'competition' the PS3 an360 markets would bring? A game of this scale and importance can only possibly be a good thing for the system.

    I would also be interested to know what previous games have disappointed you on the Wii that you fell are comparable to a Disney/Spector collaboration.
    Edited by 1 at 26/10/09 @ 16:12

  • smelly #45 2 years ago

    quote : "...and which happens to have the worst catalogue of all consoles this decade. "


    Sheesh.. the trolls are getting dimmer by the day arent they?

    So it's the best platform to release a GOOD game on no?

    If you're making a game - it makes sense to release it on the platform with the most users.. dumbass.

    I hope for your sake you never go into business..

  • KDR_11k #46 2 years ago

    Screw the rat, and GIVE ME DUCKTALES.

    I think that expresses why they want to reinvent Mickey, everybody likes the other characters better.

  • JahB #47 2 years ago

    @plug monkey
    Red Steel comes to mind; so does the Conduit.

    @smelly
    i find it hilarous that you accuse me of trolling and have the nerve to tell me never to go into business, but at the same time fail to the keep the discussion civil. you may not like my argument, but the insults certainly don't help yours.

    as for your "most users - best to release game on" point - yes, it is best system to make this game on but only in terms of profits. and i personally don't care about publishers' bottom lines, what i care about is quality games. and i'm fairly certain that if this game were to be developed for 360/PS3/PC, the end result would be of significantly higher quality.

  • smelly #48 2 years ago

    >have the nerve to tell me never to go into business
    >but only in terms of profits

    Erm.. I'll say it again.. Dont go into business dude.. you're obviously a bit dim.

  • PlugMonkey #49 2 years ago

    Red Steel comes to mind; so does the Conduit.

    That pretty succinctly sums up my entire point. Wii has been the dumping ground for poor quality licenses and ports, and the only intriguing sounding games (bar Nintendo's own) have come from unproven developers and fallen short of expectations. No offense to Ubisoft or High Voltage, but I'm not seeing much in their back catalogs to compare to Warren Spector, and I'm not seeing much in either of those IP that's as big as Mickey Mouse.

  • RCrucial #50 2 years ago

    Wouldn't it be good if they released all the retro disney classics on VC as promotion for this game... castle of illusion, duckhunt, world of illusion, Alladin and the nintendo equivilents I never played...

    maybe there's a chance seeing how the Star wars came have now been released.

  • smelly #51 2 years ago

    "Wouldn't it be good if they released all the retro disney classics on VC as promotion for this game"


    Oooh.. good call. probably some licensing problems - because werent most of them published by virgin games (which no longer exists?)

  • Saxo #52 2 years ago

    I would play epic mickey on my xbox just because its Spector, and I think deus ex is one of the best games ever greated :D

  • smelly #53 2 years ago

    >I would play epic mickey on my xbox

    Unlucky for you then!

    Honestly - we dont get halo threads full of people saying "i'd play halo.. if it was on my wii" do you?

  • Skurmedel #54 2 years ago

    Darkwing Duck game would be epic. I played the Duck Tales and Chip n' Dale on the NES. They were pretty good, both of them. The Duck Tales had an atlantis level in it, anybody know the proper title?
    Edited by 1 at 26/10/09 @ 23:13

  • smelly #55 2 years ago

    AFAIK - atlantis was in DuckTales 2.

  • RobotRocker #56 2 years ago

    Screw DuckTales (I can't belive I am saying that)

    A game based on the Don Rosa/Carl Banks comics, The Life And Times Of Scrooge McDuck

    The sheer amount of bad ass contained within would put hair on any persons chest regardless of age or gender.

  • bad09 #57 2 years ago

    "Unlucky for you then!

    Honestly - we dont get halo threads full of people saying "i'd play halo.. if it was on my wii" do you? "


    Oh do shut up Smelly FFS!

    Saxos comment is a response to the comments made by Spector (IN THIS ARTICLE!) and you know it. Stop being such obnoxious fanboy for once.

  • PlugMonkey #58 2 years ago

    Saxos comment is a response to the comments made by Spector (IN THIS ARTICLE!) and you know it.

    The thing is though, Spector isn't saying that NO-ONE who owns a 360 would play this, he's saying MORE people who own a Wii would.

    The very successful 360 games tend to be a bit drivey and shooty. That's not to say that everyone who owns a 360 is obsessed with just those two things. If the cap doesn't fit, quit trying to jam it onto your head...

  • Skurmedel #59 2 years ago

    RobotRocker: Don't forget Marco Rota, and Van Horn.

  • zakrocz #60 2 years ago

    @Jahb ... which happens to be the best selling console of this generation....

    ...and which happens to have the worst catalogue of all consoles this decade. i don't understand the why the wii fanboys keep rambling the "sold the most" message, that still doesn't mean it's any good.

    totally agree mate, other than the trad nintendo games like zelda, mario kart etc and now wii sports this is the worst console for games i have ever bought, so glad i've been lucky enough to be able to afford a 360 and ps3 this gen otherwise i'd be one starved gamer

  • YourMessageHere #61 2 years ago

    The thing that amazes me is that anyone cares about Mickey Mouse at all. He may be the Disney 'image character' but certainly in my lifetime he's had no real presence in Disney productions (or at least not the unignorable ones) and thus no discernable character at all, at least from my perspective. It always somewhat surprises me that people seem to love him as a character, and also that Disney don't seem to do much with him other than use him as an icon of their corporate brand. Good luck to Spector, but I'll not be playing this, irrespective of what platform it's on.