Joystiq

Report: Disney video game division lays off 50 employees

Sinan Kubba — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:30:00 EST

Separate from the closure of Warren Spector's Junction Point Studios, the developers of the Epic Mickey series, 50 more employees reportedly lost their jobs at Disney Interactive yesterday, according to the LA Times. The paper's source is "a knowledgeable person not authorized to discuss the matter publicly."

Disney Interactive Studios endured huge layoffs across 2011, including the closure of Split/Second developer Black Rock. We've reached out to Disney Interactive Studios for comment on today's report.

We learned yesterday Epic Mickey 2 sold 529,000 copies in the US during 2012, with that return on investment certainly sealing the deal on Junction Point's closure. Since then, Epic Mickey creator and Junction Point founder Warren Spector posted a public goodbye to his studio on Facebook, which we've printed in full after the break.

Spector was effusive in his farewell to Junction Point, saying he's rarely worked with a "team more dedicated or harder working." While he noted the games "polarized" critics and fans, Spector said he's never been part of anything as deeply touching as his Epic Mickey series.

Will the man behind Deus Ex be back? "Let just say, now it's time to move to the next adventure," Spector wrote. "I honestly don't know what that will be yet, so don't ask."

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Report: Disney video game division lays off 50 employees originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spector still wants Epic Mickey HD, needs your help

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST

Warren Spector, long-term industry survivor and creative director of Disney's Junction Point Studios, still wants to do a high definition version of Wii-exclusive Epic Mickey for other consoles.

"It's been about four or five days since I've asked to get that project greenlit. It's not my call to make. I can't even tell you how much I want to see the first game with all the enhancements and improvements we've made on Xbox 360 and PS3," Spector told us today at Gamescom. "Just have all of your readers send emails to Disney corporation and say: 'Warren should make this game.'"

Spector told us there are two things he very much wants: "I want to make a duck game and I want to see Epic Mickey on next-gen platforms."

But this is Warren Spector we're talking about. Can't he just wave a magical paintbrush and make his dreams come true? He may not have his duck game, but he's got his duck comic.

"There's only so much clout," he admitted. "When you're talking about the kind of money games cost now, there's only so much you can do."

Well, what we can do is just slide the Disney Twitter over to you fine folks reading and you can decide whether to let them know if you want Epic Mickey on HD consoles.

Spector still wants Epic Mickey HD, needs your help originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two' coming to Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360

JC Fletcher — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST

Yes, there's a sequel to Disney Epic Mickey. A tweet from Geoff Keighley first confirmed the title (of a game his show will reveal on TV as a "world premiere") as Disney Epic Mickey (2): The Power of Two. Then a piece from the AP went ahead and confirmed everything else.

It's coming out for Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360, and features drop-in, drop-out co-op play with Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Oswald is AI-controlled when another person is not around, and can be controlled at any time by a second player, who then wields Oswald's "remote" ability to control electricity.

Other new developments for this now-official game include full voice acting, including the first voice work for Oswald in Disney history. That voice acting will be used to make the game a for-real musical. "I'm such a geek about musicals," Junction Point studio head Warren Spector told the AP. "I love the co-op and next-gen stuff, but for me, when a character breaks into song, which they do on a regular basis in this game, it's magic."

[Image: the original Epic Mickey]

'Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two' coming to Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: Epic Mickey dev suffering layoffs

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:10:00 EST

Despite a number six debut on December's NPD charts, Epic Mickey apparently can't save Junction Point Studios from post-launch staff cuts. Sources speaking with Joystiq confirm that Disney Interactive issued layoffs at the Warren Spector-helmed studio today, though exact numbers are unknown -- we've contacted Disney for comment, but we imagine those plans for sequels to Epic Mickey aren't looking so solid right now.

Following last week's closure of Disney Interactive-owned Propaganda Games, today's layoffs represent further steps back for the publisher in terms of "core" game development endeavors, and, we fear, may not be the last of Disney's cuts. Disney also owns Split/Second developer Black Rock Studios, and most recently acquired social game developer Playdom.

Update: Layoffs hit entire Disney Interactive division.

[Image credit: Flickr user 'junctionpoint']

Source: Epic Mickey dev suffering layoffs originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Mickey for $30 and other legendary deals in Amazon's Gold Box

JC Fletcher — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST

Today, Amazon's Gold Box is filled with games, offering discounts on a single game or accessory every couple of hours. In addition to that, the Deal of the Day is also a game -- Disney Epic Mickey for $29.99. That makes it quite a bit less risky for those that are interested in the well-reviewed game but scared of, say, the camera.

The current Lightning Deal is Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 on multiple platforms ($39.99 on PS3 and Xbox 360, $34.99 on Wii, and $19.99 on DS). To see what's coming next, head past the break. Spoiler warning: the Ear Force is strong with this one.

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Epic Mickey for $30 and other legendary deals in Amazon's Gold Box originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More Disney Epic Mickey easter eggs than you can handle

Justin McElroy — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:20:00 EST

Though Epic Mickey is pretty obviously rife with Disney lore, there are likely some easter eggs you missed. Maybe the game's camera refused to point at them (sorry, couldn't help ourselves) or maybe you just aren't versed enough in Disneyology to spot them all.

Fear not, as Topless Robot has a list of 10 of the biggest you may not have picked up on. Our favorite? The secret basketball court inside the Matterhorn, which you'll find recreated in Mickeyjunk Mountain. If you still haven't gotten your fill of secret Disney nods, you can find even more at GamesRadar.

More Disney Epic Mickey easter eggs than you can handle originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best of the Rest: Randy's picks of 2010

Randy Nelson — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST

Super Mario Galaxy 2
This is my personal favorite game of 2010 for many reasons, all of which you can read in the review I wrote back in May. In a nutshell: It's the best Mario game ever -- in my opinion, but I've been told I'm not alone -- and can pretty much claim the title of best-ever platformer while it's at it. The experience is magical, the design is masterful and if there were one game I could be stranded on a desert island with ... well, this is it.

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Best of the Rest: Randy's picks of 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12 Days of Joyswag: Disney Epic Mickey game, jacket, Wiimote charger

Christopher Grant — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST

To celebrate the holidays, we're having twelve straight days of giveaways up through Christmas day. And while we say it's to celebrate, really ... we're simply getting rid of some of the larger packages around the ol' office.

Alright, you got us ... we missed one of these yesterday, so it's really the 11 Days of Joyswag, With One of the Days Featuring Two Giveaways. That's today! Our first giveaway will be Disney Epic Mickey-themed, with the above Wiimote controller charger, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit jacket and, of course, a copy of the game. Head on past the break for all the rules on how you can get in on this action.

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12 Days of Joyswag: Disney Epic Mickey game, jacket, Wiimote charger originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Mickey trailer recounts how Junction Point made the game so 'epic'

David Hinkle — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:30:00 EST

"What went into creating Epic Mickey," you ask? Wow, your timing is, like, impeccable -- we've got a new trailer that focuses on that very subject. Are you psychic? Quick: what color is our underwear?

Continue reading Epic Mickey trailer recounts how Junction Point made the game so 'epic'

Epic Mickey trailer recounts how Junction Point made the game so 'epic' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warren Spector says reviewers 'misunderstood' Epic Mickey's camera

Justin McElroy — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST

Though plenty of reviewers (our own included) were swept up by the enchanting world of Epic Mickey, its shoddy camera has been pretty much universally maligned. Creator Warren Spector leaped to his team's defense while speaking with MTV, saying, "First, there has never been a game that I couldn't break if you give it to me for 30 seconds. I mean, I will break a camera in any game ever made. [Ed.'s note: Well, clearly.] Third-person camera is way harder than I even imagined it could be. It is the hardest problem in video game development. Everybody gets it wrong. It's just a question of how close to right do you get it."

Spector went on to claim that the issue stems from the fact that his game isn't a pure platformer, so the camera couldn't be tuned just for that purpose. "If reviewers want to give us a hard time about it because they're misunderstanding the game we made, it's not for me to tell them that they're wrong," he continued, "absolutely not."

Listen, we love Warren Spector, and Epic Mickey has plenty of good points, for sure. But "We tried to do something that was crazy hard and it didn't work" is not a suitable excuse -- unless you're going house to house and explaining the "right" way to play. (P.S. If Spector does start doing that, you probably shouldn't let him near your cameras.)

Warren Spector says reviewers 'misunderstood' Epic Mickey's camera originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Walmart loses its mind, offers third-party Wii Remote and game for $35

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST

Walmart's apparently spread its retail dominance over so much of the country that it no longer has a need for your usual economic motivators like ... um, profit. The store is offering shoppers a $35 bundle which includes either a Nyko-brand Wii Remote or a Power A Wii Pro Pack (which we demoed earlier this year), and their choice of one out of a list of pre-selected games. At that price, you'd expect the bundled games to be shovelware, but the inclusion of Epic Mickey, New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2 might convince you otherwise.

We don't know how long this deal will be available, but considering you can purchase a Wii Remote, Nunchuk and a game for less than the standard retail price of a Wii game by its lonesome, we're going to wager that it won't be available for very long at all.

Walmart loses its mind, offers third-party Wii Remote and game for $35 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Era Cap releases Epic Mickey, Tron hats

JC Fletcher — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 07:00:00 EST

New Era Cap, which makes the official Major League Baseball hats, has released its first hat design based on a video game: a fitted cap featuring Epic Mickey imagery. The $37 hat came out on November 30 alongside the Wii game, and is available from the company's website or its Flagship stores.

It's a nice design, but a Disney hat with no plastic ears on either side seems ... wrong, somehow. It disrupts the natural order of the universe. Maybe you could staple some ears onto it yourself if you get one of these -- otherwise, you know, it would be weird.

The company also has a line of sort-of game-inspired hats, based on Tron Legacy.

Gallery: Epic Mickey cap

New Era Cap releases Epic Mickey, Tron hats originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metareview: Disney Epic Mickey

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST

Disney Epic Mickey has received no small amount of praise for receiving the kind of TLC rarely visited upon third-party Wii titles -- but did that attention actually translate over to, you know, becoming a good game? Or was that TLC simply wasted upon a mediocre platformer? More importantly, why do we find ourselves suddenly overwhelmed by a powerful urge to listen to "Waterfalls" on repeat?

You've heard our take on Junction Point's paint-splattered vision of Disney's timeless mascot; now let's see what the rest of the peanut gallery has to say:

GamesRadar (9/10): "It's a life-affirming tribute to both forgotten characters and game genres well worth remembering, with an all new added twist. And contrary to how it looks, there's a startling amount of maturity and replayability wrapped within this family-friendly package."
IGN (8/10): "Ultimately, the positive elements of Epic Mickey do manage to make this worth a shot. Going in with the proper level of expectation should manage to keep some of the WiiMote throwing to a minimum... just keep that wrist strap tight."
CVG (7.5/10): "Disney Epic Mickey, with its freeform nature and deep exploration, has plenty of appeal - and completists and adventure fans may even adore it. But its rough edges ultimately dampen its potential. If only it had been given an extra lick of paint..."
Game Informer (7/10): "Epic Mickey goes out of its way to show gamers Walt Disney's body of work, but rarely fires on a level that turns this beloved content into exciting gameplay."
Eurogamer (6/10): "Fundamentally, Epic Mickey misunderstands what people love about Mickey Mouse. He simply doesn't fit in this grim, post-modern dystopia, dripping with bitter-sweet nods to forgotten corners of Disney lore, nor does he need to confront his dark commercial heart to stay relevant in 2010."

Metareview: Disney Epic Mickey originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney Epic Mickey review: A brush with greatness

Randy Nelson — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST

The unlikely creation of Deus Ex designer and industry legend Warren Spector and his imagineers at Junction Point, Disney Epic Mickey is the single most ambitious Wii exclusive outside of Nintendo's own releases. "Epic" is not a misnomer -- from the quality of the art and animation, to the level design, scale and even score of the game, it's clear that massive amounts of resources, both of the creative and financial variety, were lavished on it. There are moments in Epic Mickey that are so good, so polished and so full of charm I would have sworn that I was playing a game Shigeru Miyamoto had a hand in.

If only the whole game was like that.

Gallery: Disney Epic Mickey

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Disney Epic Mickey review: A brush with greatness originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney Epic Mickey trailer dives into the Disney archives

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:40:00 EST

The latest Disney Epic Mickey trailer shows developer Junction Point diving into the Disney archives for game ideas and feeling overwhelmed by the rich content. Is this the first time we've been excited for a history lesson?

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Disney Epic Mickey trailer dives into the Disney archives originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Mickey gameplay trailer finally earns the 'Epic' designation

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Just about every piece of Epic Mickey media we've received since the game's announcement has been touted as being "Epic" -- but the gameplay trailer posted just below might be the asset most deserving of the titular adjective. In fact, we might go so far as to re-title the game Badass Mickey.

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Epic Mickey gameplay trailer finally earns the 'Epic' designation originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alan Wake, Epic Mickey among award-nominated video game scores

Randy Nelson — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Set to be announced in advance of the Hollywood Music In Media Conference running November 18-20, 2010 in -- where else -- Hollywood, CA, the 2010 Hollywood Music In Media Awards nominees include nine video game scores under the category of Visual Media. The bombastic orchestral sounds of God of War 3 and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood are joined by the more moody fare of Alan Wake and -- a bit out of left field -- the score to Disney Epic Mickey.

The winning score will be revealed on November 11, 2010, and you can find the complete list of nominees after the break. Cue dramatic end-of-post theme.

Continue reading Alan Wake, Epic Mickey among award-nominated video game scores

Alan Wake, Epic Mickey among award-nominated video game scores originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney Epic Mickey's 'Tomorrow City' revealed

Mike Schramm — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

G4 recently spoke with Warren Spector about Tomorrow City, a newly-revealed level in the upcoming Epic Mickey, and you can watch the interview after the break. Tomorrow City is based on Disneyland's Tomorrowland and features landmarks including the Moonliner Rocket, the Carousel of Progress and the PeopleMover.

The video also shows off more 2D gameplay, plus some solid platforming challenges. "The structure of the game is very Zelda-like," says Spector, "but once you get into those action spaces, we really wanted more platforming action." Epic Mickey will be out on Wii on November 30.

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Disney Epic Mickey's 'Tomorrow City' revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Mickey developer diary explores the plight of Oswald

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:15:00 EST

In an alternate universe, we could be anxiously anticipating the release of Warren Spector's upcoming platformer, based on the world's most recognizable cartoon character, Epic Oswald. Check out the developer diary below to see how we ended up with that round-eared sopranist instead.

Continue reading Epic Mickey developer diary explores the plight of Oswald

Epic Mickey developer diary explores the plight of Oswald originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney Epic Mickey trailer goes behind story

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 02:00:00 EST

Disney Epic Mickey has a heavy emphasis on storytelling. If the seven minutes of previously released cutscenes didn't already bang that over your head like an Acme anvil (mixed cartoon metaphor), here's Junction Point's Warren Spector to tell you more.

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Disney Epic Mickey trailer goes behind story originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Mickey making a splash on Wii November 30

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:33:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Warren Spector's visually striking take on Disney's ancient rodent mascot, Epic Mickey, finally has an official release date. As revealed in a recent Entertainment Weekly article and confirmed to us by Disney, the paint-stained platformer will be released in North America on November 30. (CVG reports that the game will make its way to Continental Europe on November 25 and to the UK the following day.)

Entertainment Weekly also procured a new trailer for the game, which you can find posted just past the jump. Of all the pieces of promotional material released for the game thus far, we feel like this one might be the most deserving of its "Epic" designation.

Continue reading Epic Mickey making a splash on Wii November 30

Epic Mickey making a splash on Wii November 30 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warren Spector pitched Deus Ex 'spiritual successor' to Disney

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Square Enix Europe may be working on an official Deus Ex sequel, but that didn't stop Warren Spector -- one of the creators of the original game -- from pitching a "spiritual successor" to his new employer, Disney. According to Develop, Spector delivered a presentation for a new "futuristic sci-fi game," one that he believed Disney wouldn't be interested in.

Spector walked out of that meeting with a new game deal, but not on the project he expected. "We have a concept for Mickey, we want to show you our idea," the designer recalls the execs telling him during that meeting. "And they gave me this pitch." That pitch ended up being Epic Mickey, an unexpected (but certainly not unwelcome) departure from Spector's earlier, more mature works.

With Spector's Junction Point studio nearing the end of Epic Mickey's development, we can't help but wonder if the team will move on to the pitched (but seemingly ignored) sci-fi idea. Spector doesn't offer an answer, but there's clearly some interest from the Disney higher-ups. "Disney now owns the IP to it," Spector said. "So who knows?"

Warren Spector pitched Deus Ex 'spiritual successor' to Disney originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Mickey preview: Small mouse, big decisions

Justin McElroy — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:03:00 EST

Mickey Mouse isn't supposed to be in situations like this.

Though I'd been having a great time spraying paint on enemies and wiping out obstacles with magical paint thinner in my PAX demo of Epic Mickey , I found myself absolutely stymied during a crucial moment. Here on my one hand was a helpless gremlin in a cage, begging for rescue. On the other, a treasure chest full of the game's currency, E tickets.

The tickets were counter-balancing the catapult in which the gremlin was confined, so snatching them would lead to his doom. But I was told that the tickets would be lost if I freed the gremlin. I had to get one of the two, but as soon as I did, the other would be lost forever.

Gallery: Epic Mickey (PAX 2010)

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Epic Mickey preview: Small mouse, big decisions originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Part two of Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic

Mike Schramm — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

During his keynote speech at PAX yesterday, Warren Spector revealed the second half of Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic, which you can find and watch right after the break. The first half, you'll remember, set Mickey up as a mischievous type who'd played around with a magical paintbrush and eventually fallen into a spinning vortex of darkness.

In this half, Mickey is dropped into a mad scientist's castle in the Wasteland, where we get to meet Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the Phantom Blot and a cast of other characters who will undoubtedly appear elsewhere in the game. And just like the first half, this one is presumably full of old school Disney animation references and in-jokes, none of which we actually get (although Google helped us out with this one). Any Disney scholars want to call out Spector for showing off?

Continue reading Video: Part two of Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic

Video: Part two of Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Mickey Collector's Edition will cover your belongings in paint

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Does your plain white Wii look like a blank canvas in your mind's eye, just waiting to be mussed up by a few splashes of darkish blue paint? Your bizarre outlook can be brought to life by purchasing the Epic Mickey Collector's Edition, which was recently revealed by Toys 'R Us' online storefront.

The $69.99 bundle includes everything seen in the image above: A copy of the game, a pair of skins for the Wii, a faceplate for your Wiimote, a DVD containing behind-the-scenes videos and other marketing materials, some special packaging and a five-inch vinyl figurine modeled after the game's falsetto protagonist. See, here we would have settled for a 25 cent paintbrush and a set of Crayola watercolors. Thanks for not taking the easy way out, Disney!

Epic Mickey Collector's Edition will cover your belongings in paint originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warren Spector says game devs are 'still making cartoons'

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

When Warren Spector told Gamescom attendees that the denizens of his chosen profession are "still making cartoons," he wasn't referring to his upcoming illustrated opus, Epic Mickey. Rather, he was voicing his opinion on what he sees to be one of the biggest challenges facing the industry today: game developers' proclivity for attempting (and ultimately failing) to mimic the storytelling techniques of movies, comics and other forms of popular media.

Of course, one of his main problems with games' stories is their tendency to be dude-centric -- he warned the Gamescom crowd "if we don't break out of big buff guys with swords and guys in tights and space marines in armor, we're going to get marginalized in the way comics have been in the United States." He also warned about attempting to ape blockbuster films by filling games with obscenely expensive visuals, as "we still fall far, far short of what people expect from a movie."

Ultimately, the only form of storytelling Spector thinks games should attempt to emulate is oral conversation, as the person interacting with the game is equally responsible for shaping its story. "Player experience comes first," Spector explained, "we have to allow them to show their creativity. No other medium has allowed them to do this. We are unique in the history of humankind. Every player becomes an author when they play a game."

Warren Spector says game devs are 'still making cartoons' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic is probably over your head

Mike Schramm — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:40:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Finally, with the release of the opening cinematic for Disney Epic Mickey, we're getting a bigger look at the story going on behind Warren Spector's ode to Disney animation. As expected, it involves some shenanigans with Mickey and a sorcerer (Yen Sid from Fantasia), a magic paintbrush, some paint and paint thinner. But even more intriguing are the many nods to old-school Disney cartoons, from all of the hats and objects placed on the walls to the dates and movie stills flying past in the quick montage near the end.

Of course, it would probably take a Disney aficionado like Spector to catch all of those references zipping by, but even if you don't get everything, you can at least see that Mickey has unintentionally created the Phantom Blot, and has caused a little bit of chaos in Yen Sid's alternate reality, turning it into the Wasteland that the big-eared hero gets tossed into. Hopefully the game will be just as fun without knowing why that calendar above says "March 25."

Continue reading Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic is probably over your head

Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic is probably over your head originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warren Spector really wants to make a DuckTales game

Mike Schramm — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

When we talked to Warren Spector back at E3 this year, he specifically named the Capcom's DuckTales as one of his favorite Disney games. In a new interview with Industry Gamers, he now says that, "A day does not go by where I don't tell somebody at Disney: 'Uncle Scrooge, come on! Donald! Huey, Dewey, and Louie! Come on, let me do a duck game!' So yeah, I would love to do a duck game."

Of course, being the animation geek that he is, Spector prefers the Carl Barks version of Uncle Scrooge and the nephews, so we probably won't get any Fenton Crackshell cameos (even though that would be awesome). If Epic Mickey does take off, you never know what franchise Disney may let Spector put his own spin on next.

Warren Spector really wants to make a DuckTales game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warren Spector delivering (presumably) Epic keynote at GDC Europe

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Step aside, Will Wright -- there's a new Hollywood It-Girl on the video game industry conference keynote scene. Yes, it seems event planners across the globe are trying to get Deus Ex and, more recently, Epic Mickey creator Warren Spector to come deliver their expo's keynote speech. The ghostly developer is already slated to speak at PAX Prime next month -- but according to a last-minute press release, Spector will also deliver one of the GDC Europe keynotes, titled "What Videogames Can Learn from Other Media ... What We Can't ... And What We Shouldn't," as the three-day event kicks off August 16.

The subject of the newly announced speech sounds intriguing, but of course, in an industry as fast-paced and cruel as the video game biz, we doubt Spector's going to stay on top of the keynote game for too much longer. We're betting he's got two more speeches in him before things go sour, and the industry turns its collective attention to a fresh face -- a Bleszinski or a Levine, for example.

Warren Spector delivering (presumably) Epic keynote at GDC Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Junction Point taking the (mean) Mickey out of Epic Mickey

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

One of the key features in Disney Epic Mickey is the ability for players to choose either good or evil actions as Mickey Mouse. We originally learned that Mickey's appearance would change based on what sort of actions you take. Take good actions, and he would appear more like the Mickey we all know and love. Take evil actions, on the other hand, and he would transform into something decidedly more sinister.

Until now, that is, with the Mainichi Daily News reporting that the "mean" version of Mickey has been removed from the game after it left a bad taste in the mouths of focus testers. Now, instead of transforming into a more menacing mouse, Mickey will simply adopt a smudgy look. Just another reminder that, yes, focus testing can ruin anything.

Junction Point taking the (mean) Mickey out of Epic Mickey originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Warren Spector

Mike Schramm — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Warren Spector is here at E3 this week showing off his Disney Epic Mickey project for the first time, and we got to sit down with the creator of System Shock and Deus Ex to talk about his new gig with the House of Mouse.

After the jump below, Spector answers our questions about why he decided to do a Disney game in the time and place that he did, his favorite Disney properties, and how hard it is to make a platformer game. Read on for more.

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Interview: Warren Spector originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview: Disney Epic Mickey

Mike Schramm — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST

I've actually been lucky enough to see Epic Mickey twice now, once at a pre-E3 event a few weeks ago and then again this week at E3. And while my first reaction to the game was twinged with disappointment (which I'll explain in just a minute), after seeing it a second time, and talking with Warren Spector himself, I think the game will turn out to be something really special.

What changed in between then and now? Honestly, I don't think they're showing the right demo. The Epic Mickey you can see on the floor of E3 this week shows a middling-to-above-average platformer, with few simple stages and a paint/thinner mechanic that allows you to draw and erase various walls and platforms. But I am convinced anyway (perhaps wrongly, I'll admit) that there's a lot more to this game than that.

Gallery: Disney Epic Mickey (E3 2010)

Continue reading Preview: Disney Epic Mickey

Preview: Disney Epic Mickey originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warren Spector explains why Epic Mickey got the silent treatment

Mike Schramm — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:55:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

During an E3 chat today, we asked Warren Spector why Epic Mickey lacked voiceovers. The characters do squeak and chitter, Banjo Kazooie-style, but none of the classic Disney voices are featured in the game. Why not?

"There's something about that voice, you know?" Spector said in his best high-pitched Mickey impersonation, before returning to his normal voice. "It's hard to accept that as a really big hero. I wanted people to accept this guy as a hero, and so I kind of made an early decision that we wouldn't have speech in the game."

Plus, one of the main characters in Epic Mickey is the long-forgotten Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who only appeared in Disney's silent cartoon era. "In a world where Oswald is the ruler," Spector told us, "it seemed appropriate that people don't talk."

Warren Spector explains why Epic Mickey got the silent treatment originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Mickey to be supported by epic tie-in books

JC Fletcher — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:15:00 EST

Disney is taking a multimedia approach to Mickey Mouse's return to relevance. The revived mascot won't just feature in Junction Point's Disney Epic Mickey video game; as spotted by NeoGAF's Shiggy, the Disney Epic Mickey universe will expand into a series of books as well.

Epic Mickey - It's Your Call #1 (which suggests more on the way) is a Choose Your Own Adventure-style book in which readers battle the Phantom Blot and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. In addition to that, there's a "Junior Novelization" of the game.

According to Amazon, It's Your Call will be released October 12, with the novelization following on November 23. These dates could provide a release window for the game, since we'd imagine Disney would want to use these tie-in materials to help market it.

[Via NeoGAF]

Epic Mickey to be supported by epic tie-in books originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney wants to take Epic Mickey to 'Nintendo levels' on the Wii

Mike Schramm — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:30:00 EST

Gamasutra got a chance to speak with the executive VP and GM of Disney Interactive Studios, Graham Hopper, who says that Disney is swinging for the stands on their future game releases. The games division is learning from "pure" gaming studios and their success, and while Hopper admits that the company hasn't always treated their properties correctly on the gaming side, starting with Disney's Epic Mickey, it wants to "give their projects the time and appropriate resources to be successful." In other words, let them stand on their own as games, rather than squeeze them up against a movie's release date.

And Hopper hopes for quite the payoff, too -- while third-party titles on the Wii have been hit or miss (mostly miss), Hopper expects Epic Mickey's success to go "to Nintendo levels." He does say that they don't want to turn Mickey into Mario by "simply using him as an icon or an avatar in a game," but Disney's goal in the future will be to make sure that each of their properties' appearances are worth it. Hopper says if they port a film to five different gaming platforms, customers should expect "not the same story five times over, but five different stories, each uniquely suited for the platform they're on." A good plan to have, but much easier said than done.

Disney wants to take Epic Mickey to 'Nintendo levels' on the Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disney won't rule out Epic Mickey on 360, PS3

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:20:00 EST

When Warren Spector's first Junction Point Studios title, Disney Epic Mickey, was revealed, many gamers were miffed to learn that the game was exclusive to the Wii -- especially after being inundated with some spectacular concept art for the game. It looks like there is still some hope that the game will hit the Xbox 360 and PS3, according to Disney's Graham Hopper.

Hopper tells Gamasutra that one of the game's core concepts is its "ink and paint mechanic", making it ideal for the Wii. However, now that both Xbox 360 and PS3 will soon support motion controls of their own, things might be different. "If we started it 6 months ago we would have potentially thought differently about it," said Hopper. He noted that Disney has "a very large audience base that has Wiis in their home" but that the company isn't ruling out the possibility of a future port to other platforms.

Making all of this a bit stranger, as Joystiq readers will recall, is that Epic Mickey actually started out as a project for the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. The game switched to Wii development in 2008 when Disney raised the possibility of a port. At the time, Spector told the company that many of the design ideas wouldn't work on the console, noting that a Wii version would have to "be its own game." Disney apparently agreed, deciding to make the game Wii exclusive. Here we are two years later, and the game just might come full circle.

Disney won't rule out Epic Mickey on 360, PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Mickey is the strong, silent type (of cartoon mouse)

JC Fletcher — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:20:00 EST

When Mickey Mouse makes his triumphant return to the world stage in Disney Epic Mickey, he'll do so without his trademark squeaky voice. The mouse will still speak in the game, but all speech will be rendered as text bubbles. And it's not a technical limitation, but an artistic one.

"I made the creative decision that characters wouldn't talk in the Cartoon Wasteland," Warren Spector explained to The Cut Scene. "It was entirely a creative decision because [he begins speaking in a high-pitched Mickey voice] As soon as I start doing this, I've lost most of my potential audience. [resumes natural voice] If I'm trying to re-introduce this character to an audience, there are certain connotations with that voice that I'm going to have a hard time overcoming." When he does speak in a future game, he'll probably be an affable Everyman voiced by Nolan North (our guess).

Oswald, Spector said, won't need much consideration, due not only to his relative unfamiliarity to modern audiences, but also due to the properties of the character itself. "If you watch the existing cartoons," Spector said, "he's such a special character. In many ways, he's a funnier, more cartoon-y, more modern guy than Mickey is."

Gallery: Disney Epic Mickey

Epic Mickey is the strong, silent type (of cartoon mouse) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spector talks initial Disney pitches, hints at spiritual successor to Deus Ex

Xav de Matos — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:00:00 EST

During a London event to showcase Disney Epic Mickey, developer Warren Spector revealed that his initial pitches to Disney were for two very different titles; hinting one -- in many ways -- may have been a spiritual successor to Deus Ex. The other title, according to The Cut Scene blog, was a "big fantasy" story the developer and his wife unsuccessfully pitched to DC Comics.

Prior to the announcement of a new game in the series, Spector said he had previously attempted to acquire the Deus Ex license from publisher Eidos, but was unsuccessful. Since then, Spector's Junction Point Studios has been acquired by Disney Interactive, revealed his latest title and hinted at more from the Epic universe.

While Spector says there are still stories in the Deus Ex universe he would like to tell, the upcoming prequel, Deus Ex 3 -- helmed by developer Eidos Montreal -- will be the first title in the franchise without the original creator's watchful eye. "That story is not done for me," Spector said. "Deus Ex was very much a game of the millennium." Sadly -- with another team on the project -- it appears Spector's dream of continuing the Deus Ex conspiracy personally have indeed come to an end, for the time being.

[Via GamePro]

Spector talks initial Disney pitches, hints at spiritual successor to Deus Ex originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warren Spector envisions two more Disney Epic Mickey games

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:50:00 EST

In the ongoing media blitz that Disney Epic Mickey (yes, it's really still named that) has been receiving over the past few weeks, the game's creative head Warren Spector has been decidedly candid. First, he spoke about the difference between the game's concept art and in-game graphics, then he discussed its roots on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and just this week, in a talk with 1UP, he confirmed his hope that the game would spawn two more adventures.

One hitch - those games have yet to be approved by his new overlords at Disney. "In my head, I've got two more planned ... those games have not approved and who knows if we'll ever see them," he said. "I had three games planned for Deus Ex and you see where that got me." As far as other titles that Spector's Junction Point Studios were working on before being acquired over two years ago, Spector confirmed that Disney has officially dropped the lot of them. Wait, even Ninja Gold?! Yes, even Ninja Gold.

Gallery: Disney Epic Mickey

Warren Spector envisions two more Disney Epic Mickey games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spector explains disparity between Disney Epic Mickey concept shots and reality

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:40:00 EST

If you're anything like us, you may have felt a bit ... underwhelmed by the recently released screenshots of Warren Spector-lead project Disney Epic Mickey, especially when compared to the magic-filled concept art leaked so many weeks ago. Speaking to 1UP in a recent interview, Spector says he works on creating concept art that will find the metaphorical "line" by "pushing past it." For him, it is a question of finding the boundaries for not just himself and his development team, but also Disney. "I know where my lines are, but I don't know where Disney's are."

He additionally teases, "Some of what you saw was beyond the line ... some of it was early design ideas that are no longer relevant ... some of it is stuff that's still in the game, and I'm not saying what." If the recent steady stream of information on Disney Epic Mickey continues, we'll likely see at least a few of those original concepts in their current form at a point in the not-too-distant future.

Gallery: Disney Epic Mickey

Gallery: Epic Mickey concept art

Spector explains disparity between Disney Epic Mickey concept shots and reality originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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