Spector asks gamers to "take a chill pill" on musical Epic Mickey 2
"I've seen the look on people's faces."
Veteran game designer Warren Spector has asked gamers to "take a chill pill" and relax about the musical Epic Mickey 2.
As with Disney films, Epic Mickey 2, due out in September, includes songs performed during cut scenes.
Spector told Eurogamer the reaction from some gamers and even from some Disney executives caused him to make a point of reassuring them about these sections in press presentations.
"I've been itching to talk about the game and the songs for a while," he said. "When we announced the game, I sort of threw it out there, because I'm so proud and so happy. I saw the look of fear in people's eyes. I'm like, what the heck is going on? Doesn't everybody love musicals? I realised I had to explain things.
"I look at guys like you in the audience on the press side, and similarly at Disney when I look out at execs, about 70 per cent of them are going, yeah. About 30 per cent are going, are you kidding?"
I look at guys like you in the audience on the press side, and similarly at Disney when I look out at execs, about 70 per cent of them are going, yeah. About 30 per cent are going, are you kidding?
The songs in the game are not interactive, Spector confirmed. And they can be skipped at any time - indeed he encouraged gamers put off by them to do so.
The whole thing is an "experiment", he said, a "test" that Spector hopes will lay the groundwork for a more fleshed out musical mechanic in future games.
"I just want to see how people respond to the music and the songs," he said. "They're not interactive by design. Later on, I hope maybe we get to do that in some other game, sometime in the future. But I feel like I have to reassure that 30 per cent that it's okay. If you don't want to experience that part of the game you can just bypass it.
"I've seen the look on people's faces. I'm reacting to something very specific and real I've seen, not worried that there might be a specific reaction. I'm reacting to the reaction, okay? It's a change. Earlier, I didn't expect that reaction, so I was just throwing it out there. Now I feel like I have to tell people, it's okay.
"I don't think I was clear at the start it wasn't singing into a microphone or beatmatch. I should have been clear about that, and I wasn't.
"I want everybody to just take a chill pill and relax about this. I'm not going to make you sing into a microphone. I'm not going to make you dance in front of your TV. I'm not going to make you beatmatch. This is just a fun way to honour a part of Disney's history. If you don't like that part of Disney's history, skip it."