Mickey gets a Makeover

[wire0monkey]

NYT has a story about Mickey getting a makeover to appeal to a teen audience:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/bu...ef=todayspaper

The makeover is most noticeable in the game "Epic MIckey" which will be due out next year, but NYT states that the makeover is being considered across the brand.

More about "Epic Mickey" here:
http://www.intercot.com/discussion/s...98#post1981098

[buzznwoodysmom]

I don't like "Epic Mickey". He looks mean, and Mickey isn't supposed to be mean!

[Melanie]

I don't like "Epic Mickey". He looks mean, and Mickey isn't supposed to be mean!

Me either. I guess we aren't hip.

[GrumpyFan]

I've been following this, and I'm not sure how I like it. I understand they want to try and refresh his image, but I'm not sure if this is the way to do it. It could prove interesting.

[Buttercup]

The photos of the game look cool, and I'd play it. But I don't think Mickey need to look so angry...

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

Kingdom Hearts was a step in the right direction to make Mickey a little bit edgier (mostly in Kingdom Hearts II), but this is awesome. Just remember that they're not going to be abandoning the persona we know and love in other aspects, but this is just a redesign for a different market.

[wire0monkey]

I hope so. I was really surprised by how much I liked Kingdom Hearts II. In the context of "Epic Mickey," the character redesign looks awesome. The artwork for that game is incredible, as is the concept. I really want to play it.

In other contexts...I don't like it nearly as much.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Me either. I guess we aren't hip.

Hahaha, that's what I was thinking too.

Anyway, I have two boys, ages 9 and 7, but I just don't see why he has to look so angry. As a mother of two, creeping up on the tween years, boys I just don't think having a character look so angry is the right approach. Surely they could have come up with something else. Oh well hopefully my boys still prefer the cute and sweet Mickey for many more years.

[LibertyTreeGal]

Dude, I read the story and they are talking about how Mickey supposedly "dumped" Oswald the Lucky Rabbit as he grew in popularity.

So now we are supposed to think of our beloved Mickey as some jerk who pushed people aside on his way to the top?

I don't think Walt would put his seal of approval on this.....

[seanyred]

Just a little side comment. In the original Mickey Mouse cartoons...Mickey was not always the lovable cuddly character we see today. He was kinda of wise "guy" and even a little mean/angry at times...his character did not get softened until years later.

Also if you want a more recent comparison...is the Mickey from House of Mouse the same as the one on Mickey Mouse Club House? There are similarities but how he portrayed his very different.

Being a fan of cartoons I believe that characters are allowed to change and adapt to their surroundings. I'm a bigger Warner Bros. fan for cartoons but if you look at Bugs Bunny he went from a snotty, rude and mean to the wise cracken' guy that you would still care about.

[HeyMrsL!ItsThisGuy!]

just know this:

the phantom ink blot is back

YES.

[Kathy Jetson]

I think its fine for games but other then that I want my sweet loveable Mickey

[NotaGeek]

I never understand the "Walt Would Never Approve" arguement ... he wanted Disney to change and adapt with the times. If this medium will bring another market or keep a market interested in the Disney brand it IS what Walt would have wanted, but since Walt's dream started in the 50's there is no way he could have imagined how different the world would be as we close the door on 2009. I think that this type of change is great ... and will hopefully bring LOTS of revenue into the Disney Bank! I will definitely be getting this game!

[Stu29573]

I'm not sure why everything has to be "edgy" now. Yes, vintage comic pages Micky was a bit of a wise guy, but it was always tempered with innocence. Also, his film personality was usually a little nicer. Donald was the "bad boy" of the group, and he always got his comeuppance. It's like we're teaching our kids it's not hip to be nice. Trust me, I'm an elementary school counselor, and I've seen the trend coming for the past 10 years or so. Kids have always been a little mean at times...but now they're "edgy." It's not a good trend and I don't like Mickey being dragged into it. Ending rant.

[Patricia]

There is more info on the Epic Mickey game in our software/gaming forum.. some of which explains the reasoning behind the Mickey's personality changes. This game has not yet been rated.

Join the Epic Mickey discussion here.

This is not the first change for MIckey. When Walt was alive Mickey was a little more "mousechivious" and even showed his angry side where it was appropriate.. he was much more interesting in the older cartoons, showing a full range of emotions. All that personality went missing when he was made "preschool friendly" and he fell into that market. Mickey will now be more like him old self again having a broader appeal to a wider range of ages.

Personally, I can't wait to have him back. I think even Walt would agree it's time they put him back to his original conception.

Note: as I tend to walk away while replying and someone gets ahead of me:

Mickey will not be mean.

[BluewaterBrad]

Interesting. Thanks for the info!

[PirateLover]

One of my favorite games as a kid was one called Mickey Mania. Mickey was definitely the classic hero in this game, and he traveled back to his old cartoons to fight off various villains. However I remember some of the boards being a little scary for me as a child- but it was still so much fun! I was not in any way negatively affected by that. Not one person in this world is happy go lucky all of the time. Yes Mickey is a fantasy but I think it's kind of neat to show him struggle a bit with human foibles. Anyway, the story as I read it has nothing to do with Mickey being a cruel blow hard. Mickey accidentally falls into Oswald's world and messes things up,then escapes back to his own world and rises to popularity which causes Oswald to become extremely jealous of Mickey's fame. Mickey then finds his way back to Oswald's world which has become dark and twisted. I am looking forward to this game.

[Stu29573]

One of my favorite games as a kid was one called Mickey Mania. Mickey was definitely the classic hero in this game, and he traveled back to his old cartoons to fight off various villains. However I remember some of the boards being a little scary for me as a child- but it was still so much fun! I was not in any way negatively affected by that. Not one person in this world is happy go lucky all of the time. Yes Mickey is a fantasy but I think it's kind of neat to show him struggle a bit with human foibles. Anyway, the story as I read it has nothing to do with Mickey being a cruel blow hard. Mickey accidentally falls into Oswald's world and messes things up,then escapes back to his own world and rises to popularity which causes Oswald to become extremely jealous of Mickey's fame. Mickey then finds his way back to Oswald's world which has become dark and twisted. I am looking forward to this game.

I loved that game! Yep, it had the scarier movies in it, but Micky was never, ever, mean or nasty...

[JabberJaws]

There has currently been no confirmation that this "rebranding" of Mickey will go beyond very specific platforms, the only confirmed one of which currently is the game "Epic Mickey" for the Wii.

I would imagine that Disney would utilize the edgier mickey version in certain markets/branding situations, which maintaining the mickey we all know and love for other markets.

Adaptable branding is a big push in the marketing world today (see Obama's presidential campaign, he used adaptable branding to a T and really brought the concept into prominence). I think that is all this is really, a form of adaptable branding you will see more of worldwide in the coming years. Adjusting your brand to appeal to very specific markets.

That being said, I am a HUGE fan of the Kingdom Hearts games and I think that the adaptation (again not changing completely, but adapting) of the Disney brand will broaden the appeal of the movies, characters, etc.

Purely from a marketing standpoint it is really a smart move IMO.

[HallandNash]

I think some folks are over-reacting a bit here. There is a grand total of ONE picture in the article of the "redesigned" Mickey, and it's just a vintage looking Mickey that happens to be scowling. I think extrapolating that one image into "OMZG Mickey Iz EVIL now!!!11" is reaching. The article states that in Epic Mickey he will have a mischievious side that the player can explore. So essentially they're just revisiting some older and somewhat forgotten aspects of him from the vintage days (ie. when Walt himself created him).

As someone that has always preferred the vintage look for Mickey and friends I think it's great.