Nightmare Forge Games studio revealed the horror game Infestation 88, in which Mickey Mouse appears. Partnership with Disney? No. The mascot is now in the public domain.
Since January 1, Mickey Mouse is no longer protected by copyright, which means that anyone is free to use him (at least the version seen in the cartoon Steamboat Willie, released in 1928). We should therefore expect to see content where the Disney mascot will appear. This will be the case, for example, for Infestation 88a horror game revealed in the columns of IGN on January 1st – exactly the day Mickey entered the public domain.
On the Steam page we can see that Infestation 88, developed by Nightmare Forge Games, will be available in early access in 2024, without further details. “ This game is inspired by works now in the public domain. This independent creation has not been authorized, sponsored or otherwise endorsed by any original author of said works », Specifies the studio, which takes advantage of the opportunity offered by Mickey’s new status to make him a frightening monster. A destiny shared by Winnie the Pooh, unrecognizable in the film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.
Horror game Infestation 88 turns Mickey into a monster
It’s pretty clever of Nightmare Forge Games to transform an iconic character into a monster, described as “ a horrible entity “. We will simply have to ensure that it respects Disney’s intellectual property. The Mickey Mouse who appears in Steamboat Willie is very different from the one the children know (always protected, him). It’s black and white (forget the red shorts) and doesn’t have gloves. His features are also much more simplistic and less friendly. For a horror-centric experience, it’s perfect. But, at the slightest deviation, Disney will be able to enlist a battery of lawyers.
Infestation 88 will be a cooperative survival game, in which 1 to 4 participants will have to put an end to mysterious infestations. Nightmare Forge Games highlights the possibility of playing in public or private, or the need to communicate to develop the best possible strategy. Players will have a varied arsenal at their disposal to deal with problematic sources.
Finally, Infestation 88 will be divided into episodes, each being a priori linked to a distinct enemy. The developers mention “ a classic character or urban legend », which explains the slightly opportunistic appearance of Mickey, version Steamboat Willie.
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