Mickey Mouse officially entered the public domain on January 1, 2024, so game developer Nightmare Forge has announced a horror game spin-off, Infestation 88.
The 1928 ‘Steamboat Willie’ version of Mickey Mouse officially entered the public domain at the beginning of this year, so, of course, that means he has to follow in the footsteps of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey and Steamboat Willie has already been announced as the antagonist in a couple of horror spin-offs, including a 1 to 4-player horror game called Infestation 88 in the works from developer Nightmare Forge. They have even released an official trailer that can be seen below, with a blood-soaked, fleshier version of the iconic 1928 cartoon character.
Infestation 88 is a survival horror game that appears to place the player behind the POV of an exterminator in the year 1988, and it’s up to the group of 1-4 players to figure out the source of the infestation. Interestingly enough, Nightmare Forge describes Infestation 88 as “an episodic, 1-4 player co-op survival horror game in which you and your friends are exterminators called in to treat mysterious infestations caused by twisted versions of classic characters and urban legends,” so it appears the Steamboat Willie variant of Mickey Mouse might not be the only classic character to get the nightmarish treatment on display.
While the survival-horror game has been announced, it’s worth noting that a film is also on the horizon. A trailer for the slasher flick Mickey’s Mouse Trap has been released on YouTube. A Disney spokesperson told Deadline, “More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright. Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for the Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions, and merchandise.” The spokesperson also subtly hinted at potential legal action against wrongful use of the character, stating, “We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright.”
Fans can head over to the official Nightmare Forge website for more information on the upcoming survival-horror title, Infestation 88.
