The highly anticipated new Wii video game, Disney Epic Mickey, was recently released. With this game, Warren Spector, Epic Mickey’s creator, looked to create the video game equivalent of a Pixar film – entertainment for everyone. Spector is well known and respected in the gaming world for creating popular video game series such as Wing Commander and Deus Ex, but with Disney Epic Mickey Spector wanted to create a video game that appealed to more than just hard core gaming fans. I recently participated in a conference call with Warren Spector. Continue after the break to read and listen to Spector’s thoughts on creating the new Wii action-adventure game as well as his love of Disney. Also, at the end of the article learn how you can win a copy of what’s been touted by some as the video game of the year.
Click here to listen to highlights from Warren Spector’s conference call
Note: this was a moderated conference call where we were asked to submit questions ahead of time – many (but not all) of the questions asked were my own. The last portion of the call was opened up for us to ask questions directly.
You may wonder why the DIS Unplugged, a website specializing in Disney-related travel, is covering the release of a Wii video game? Well, besides the fact that the game appeals to the Disney fan in us, the game’s universe takes place in the theme park Wasteland, a “Bizarro Disneyland” made up of familiar, yet strange, Disney Park attractions. Whenever an attraction is eliminated or re-imagined in a Disney Park, such as Disneyland’s Nautilus submarine or Swiss Family Treehouse, *poof* they appear in Wasteland. The story of Epic Mickey relies heavily on Disney history. Warren Spector wants to re-introduce Mickey Mouse to a generation who has yet to see Mickey star in his own story, and in this alternate universe Mickey confronts and befriends all sorts of cast-off Disney Characters. The head honcho for Wasteland is Walt Disney’s first cartoon star from the 1920’s-30’s, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who is bitter and jealous of Mickey Mouse’s life and success.
Spector described himself as a life-long animation buff who grew up watching the Mickey Mouse Club, Wonderful World of Color, and Wonderful World of Disney. Those shows, as well as Saturday morning cartoons, were hugely influential and a part of his life that he never outgrew. He continued to watch and study cartoons, studied film criticism in college, and ultimately wrote his Master’s thesis on Warner Bros. cartoons. Spector cited the Warner Bros. Daffy Duck cartoon “Duck Amuck” as one of the greatest cartoons ever created and admired how it provided a peek behind the creative process in animation. However, Spector also said, “If you’re an animation buff, you have to study the Disney stuff.”
However, Spector was not solely enthralled in cartoons. He’s a big theme park fan as well, and described how one of the most magical days of his life occurred on his 30th birthday at Disneyland. He recounted a trip that occurred during Disneyland’s 30th anniversary celebration. When Spector went through the turnstiles, bells, whistles, and alarms started ringing. It turned out that he was the 3,000th person through the gate – Mr. 3,000 – and he had the run of the park with his friends, never waiting more than 5 minutes to ride an attraction. His day culminated when after the fireworks, Spector and his friends were invited to stay in the park for an after-hours private party.
Spector elaborated on his love of the theme parks saying he dreamed of becoming a Walt Disney Imagineer. After college was torn between designing video games or theme park attractions. He had two telephone interviews with Disney Imagineering before Origin Systems offered him a job to create video games. Spector still holds out hope that some part of Epic Mickey could make its way into a theme park saying, “It would be a life-long dream if Epic Mickey would end up as a theme park attraction.” Given the imagery released for Epic Mickey, it makes you wonder just what kind of steampunk theme park attraction Spector would create.
In creating Epic Mickey, Spector and his team relied heavily on previous work completed by Disney. They had full access to Disney’s history and the archives, and in many instances Spector reined in his team from being too creative. Instead, Spector wanted the game to reflect Disney’s creativity and inspiration. They did not need to create new villains or characters because that work had already been extensively done by Disney. They drew inspiration for characters, attractions, and theme park lands directly from the Disney archives. Everything from the backgrounds seen in the game were taken directly from Disney paintings to the trash cans on Main Street U.S.A. were reproductions of those at Disneyland. However, just like Disney films and theme park attractions, Epic Mickey is ultimately about the story.
Disney Epic Mickey: Into the Archives
Warren Spector uses video games to tell stories WITH players not to players, and Epic Mickey is no exception. He wanted young children to see Mickey Mouse not just as a corporate icon, but as the starring character of a story, and ultimately as an Epic Hero, as he was in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”, “Mickey and the Beanstalk”, “The Prince and the Pauper”, or, more recently, “The Three Musketeers”. He also wanted the story to have the same broad appeal as a Pixar film such as “Toy Story 3” or “Up.” Spector commented on how nobody considers “Toy Story 3” as JUST a children’s film, or looks at “Up” and says, “Oh, that was clearly aimed at tween girls.” Pixar creates films with depth that grandparents can see and enjoy with their grandchildren. That is what Warren Spector is aiming for with Epic Mickey, and one of the reasons he selected the Nintendo Wii console as the sole gaming platform. When the game was in the initial stages of creation the Wii was the only game system where children would play side-by-side with parents and grandparents, and appealed to all ages.
As we wrapped up our conference call, Spector talked about his creative philosophy. He has always believed games can tell a good story as deep and sophisticated as any medium. He hopes when people are playing Disney Epic Mickey they start to think about how exactly do you define a hero? Also, Spector hopes playing the game will reveal how important family and friends are to the player. By the time people get to the end of this action-adventure game, people may actually learn a little something about themselves, how they feel about family and friends, and how they define a hero.
Win a Copy of Disney Epic Mickey
OK, I promised you at the beginning of the article I would reveal how you can win your own copy of Disney Epic Mickey. Disney Interactive Studios has provided the DIS Unplugged with 6 copies of the Disney Epic Mickey Collector’s Edition. In addition to the game, the Collector’s Edition includes a 5 inch Vinyl Epic Mickey Figure, Special Edition DVD with behind the scenes footage and videos, Epic Mickey Stylized Wii Remote Faceplate, and 2 Epic Mickey Stylized Wii Console skins. Over the next few days, we will post a number of contest blogs on the DIS Unplugged to give away the copies of Disney Epic Mickey. All you need to do to enter is log in with your DISboards username and password and leave a comment on the blog. That’s it, you’re entered, and we will randomly select winners from the comments on the blog. 
Oh, what the heck, let’s start this giveaway now! We will randomly select 2 people who leave comments at the end of this blog to win a copy of Disney Epic Mickey Collector’s Edition. You have to leave a comment on this article, comments in other places such as Facebook or Twitter will not be official contest entries. Comments will close on Friday, Dec. 3rd. So get started, let us know what you think of this article, Waren Spector, Disney Epic Mickey, or anything else on your mind. Good luck to everyone who enters.
Comments
356 responses to “The Imagineer of Wasteland: Epic Mickey’s Warren Spector”
Can’t wait to play this one. Not a gamer but LOVE Disney!
Would love to add this one to my Wii game collection!
Looks amazing! Love that the parks have been incorporated into this game.
Looks like a game I can play for many hours. It is on my list!
Looks like a very fun game. I’d certainly like to give it a try.
My boys have just added this to their Christmas list – It was already on mine.
This is on my Christmas list, but if I can win it before that, even better!
I cant wait to see this game, hoping Santa bring for Christmas!
I have been waiting for this game to come up, can’t wait to play!
I have both a 4 year old and 16 year old daughter and the one thing I love the most about this game is that it appears all 3 of us can get something out of us from the youngest to me. Great blog, Dave; and thanks to Mr. Spector for taking the time for the interview. Awesome!
Deus Ex is my favorite game of all time. I’m a big fan of Warren and Disney World, but have been a bit leery about this game… I’m eager to check it out though.
My daughter has been anxiously awaiting for this to come out. Can’t wait!
I am excited this is finally out! Can’t wait to play.
First game I have really seen that makes me want to get a Wii. Sounds amazing!
Too cool! Pick me! 🙂
This is the first Wii game I’ve seen in a long time that I can’t wait to play.
my daughter is so excited about this game! can’t wait to play it!
This game looks AMAZING! Can’t wait to play it. My daughter will love this – she loves Mickey, Disney and drawing. I love the paintbrush accessory.
I want this game so bad!!! WE can’t wait to check it out.
Really excited for this game! Everything about it looks really cool, can’t wait to try it out with my Family!!!
My 10 year old is very excited and hope to get this for Christmas. The more I see it the more I want to play it with him. Very exciting!
I am so looking forward to playing this game. Totally different take on Dinsey LOVE IT!
Bryan
I cannot wait to get this game. I have been waiting for this to hit the stores……
I am so excited to be able to share a game with my children that gets to the heart of what Disney really stands for. Way to go!!
My son, who has Asperger’s Syndrome (a high-functioning form of autism) has been looking forward to this for months. He found a “leaked” preview online somewhere and has been talking about it non-stop ever since. Can’t wait…it’s perfect for his high level immagination.
Looks like the first game in a while that will get the Wii out of the closet! Can’t wait to give this game a try
Now THIS is a game I can let my boys play without worry…(and one Dad and I can play for hours into the night after we’ve put them to bed!!!)
They haven’t a clue, but a Wii will be under the tree for them this year- a few years late, but better late than never!!!
What I love about this game for us Disney lovers is that there is real HISTORY to it! What a wonderful and unexpected treat it would be to have Epic Mickey join in the Wii-ifying of our home this year!
Fantastic article !!! This game looks AMAZING !!! I just wish I was a better video game player…lol
Its on our Christmas list…come on Santa, send one our way!
Great article! I’m excited about playing this game!
This is a game my daughter wants for Christmas!!!
Is it bad that I’m probably more excited than my kids about Epic Mickey?
deannap203 – My son too! 13 year old Aspy! There is something about Disney that has really grabbed my Tyler too.
What an AWESOME game. We can’t wait to give it a try. I’m going to have to put a star on Santa’s list for this one!!
This looks awesome!
It takes a lover of Disney and Mickey to get this one right, and from what I have read and seen so far, Spector is definitely getting it right! And its such an interesting spin! Can’t wait to play it for myself. Thank you for such a great and informative article, Dave!
I cannot wait to get this game! Nothing could be better than Disney graphics!
I hope I win
I’ve been seeing the advertisements for this and can’t wait to get it! I love Wii and love Mickey Mouse even more! What a great story about Warren! Such an experience at Disney and then to end up working for the company as well…that’s awesome!
My 3 kids and I have been so excited about Epic Mickey since we first heard of it a month ago 😀
The kids and I just played around with this game at Best Buy–it was alot of fun!!
I can’t wait to get this game. It looks like a lot of fun. Love anything with Mickey!!!!
This looks so cool. I love classic Disney. And the characters in this game so deserve their long-awaited time to shine.
Very cool. Should be a fun game. What a daunting task to create new world of Mickey and Disney.
we can not wait to play this one! i hope we win it!!
My kids all really want this, winning it would be great!!! It looks very impressive then again it is Disney!
Looking forward to getting this for Christmas….I love the concept that old attractions go to Wasteland and I am thrilled to see Oswald!!!
This game looks like so much fun. My husband and daughter have been talking about it nonstop for the last month!!
WOW!!! This looks like such a great game!
Thanks for the wonderful insight to this newest game.Your article was very informative. I can’t wait to give it a try. I’ve been waiting for something new to come along like this and your descriptions make it all the better! Thanks.
I have been looking forward to this game since it was just a rumor! I got a Wii last year in anticipation for it. So far, the screens I have seen do not disappoint. Looking forward to a review on the show. I told my wife I just want one Christmas gift this year, but it better be “epic”!