Nightmare Forge Games reveals its upcoming Mickey Mouse co-op horror game, shortly after Steamboat Willie went into in the public domain.
A new co-op horror game titled Infestation 88 was recently revealed, and it features a terrifying version of Mickey Mouse. This comes shortly after Steamboat Willie, a short film starring the earliest iteration of Mickey Mouse, went into the public domain.
The first day of every year doubles as Public Domain Day, where copyright protection for creative works expires, allowing them to be used without restrictions or need for permission. Many people get extra excited when popular cartoon characters go into the public domain, as they can be used in various forms of media. One example was the 2023 horror film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, which used the likeness of Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, and more. For 2024, Disney’s Steamboat Willie was one of the notable short films that became available, so horror game developer Nightmare Forge Games revealed its latest project featuring the iconic Mickey Mouse character.
Nightmare Forge Games announced Infestation 88, a survival horror co-op game that will pit players against mutated rodents, including a horrifying monster with Mickey Mouse’s face. Armed with infestation gear, players must work together to eradicate the rodents’ nests and subdue the outbreak, while also trying to survive against entities based on classic characters and urban legends. Infestation 88 is still in development, but its Steam page notes that it will be available for Early Access sometime in 2024.
Many gamers took to social media to express their surprise that Nightmare Forge Games already had something prepared once Steamboat Willie went into the public domain. The reactions were also mixed, as some didn’t feel confident about Infestation 88’s quality, and weren’t thrilled about seeing Mickey Mouse in a horror game. However, there were still gamers who thought that Nightmare Forge Games was able to add an interesting twist to Disney’s beloved mouse.
Infestation 88 will be the latest horror game inspired by children’s characters, a subgenre that was popularized by games like Five Nights At Freddy’s. While the co-op shooter doesn’t necessarily utilize a child-like aesthetic, it still has a chance to make players fear a character that’s beloved by many.
Apart from Infestation 88, another Mickey Mouse-adjacent game that has players excited is Fumi Games’ Mouse. Described as a cross between Cuphead and Doom, this upcoming FPS title flaunts a unique rubber hose animation style, with characters resembling classic Disney characters. However, unlike Infestation 88, players will have to wait longer for Mouse as it’s slated for release in 2025.
