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Report: Disney video game division lays off 50 employees
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."
Spector still wants Epic Mickey HD, needs your help
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.
'Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two' coming to Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360
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]
Source: Epic Mickey dev suffering layoffs
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']
Epic Mickey for $30 and other legendary deals in Amazon's Gold Box
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.
More Disney Epic Mickey easter eggs than you can handle
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.
Best of the Rest: Randy's picks of 2010
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.
12 Days of Joyswag: Disney Epic Mickey game, jacket, Wiimote charger
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.
Epic Mickey trailer recounts how Junction Point made the game so 'epic'
"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?
Warren Spector says reviewers 'misunderstood' Epic Mickey's camera
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.)
Walmart loses its mind, offers third-party Wii Remote and game for $35
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.
New Era Cap releases Epic Mickey, Tron hats
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-108607%
Metareview: Disney Epic Mickey
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."
Disney Epic Mickey review: A brush with greatness
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-76724%
Disney Epic Mickey trailer dives into the Disney archives
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?
Epic Mickey gameplay trailer finally earns the 'Epic' designation
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.
Alan Wake, Epic Mickey among award-nominated video game scores
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.
Disney Epic Mickey's 'Tomorrow City' revealed
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.
Epic Mickey developer diary explores the plight of Oswald
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.
Disney Epic Mickey trailer goes behind story
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.
