Could New Epic Mickey Merchandise Hint at a New Game?

In a strange move, Hot Topic currently has a plethora of t-shirts based on Epic Mickey. At the company's website, a number of designs based on the video games can be found, despite the fact that the series hasn't seen a new release since 2013's Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two. The series has been dormant since, and Disney seems to have all but forgotten about it, making the existence of new merchandise quite peculiar! It might not mean anything, but it doesn't seem like a stretch to imagine this could mean a new game might be in the works!

Released in 2010 on Nintendo Wii, the title marked the first interaction between Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. In the game, players were tasked with using a paint brush and paint thinner to restore and erase elements of the game's world. Developed by Junction Point Studios and directed by Warren Spector, the game was quite ambitious. While the title proved fairly successful, the 2013 sequel underperformed, resulting in the dissolution of Junction Point.

Prior to the closing of Junction Point, there were additional plans for the series. Those plans failed to materialize, and didn't seem to get much farther than early planning stages. As such, it stands to reason that a new Epic Mickey game would likely come in the form of a remaster, or reboot of some kind, in order to reacquaint audiences with the series.

With the original developer now dissolved, it would be interesting to see who might create a new Epic Mickey game. It seems hard to imagine the series without Warren Spector's involvement, but it's impossible to say what might happen. A return to the franchise would likely be met with open arms by Disney fans, but until an official announcement gets made by Disney, it's all just conjecture. Still, it seems quite odd to see an older licensed game receive this kind of push! Earlier this year, Disney's Sean Shoptaw told DICE Summit 2020 attendees that he wanted to see developers creating more unique takes on Disney properties. Epic Mickey certainly fit that bill; perhaps that reason will be enough for Disney to give the series a second chance!

Were you a fan of Epic Mickey? Would you like to see the series return? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!