While Disney’s Epic Mickey series didn’t light the world on fire, plans were pushed to expand the brand and make it a land-mark Disney franchise. Case-in point, Epic Donald Duck. This title would have released after production on Epic Mickey 2 finished and come out the following year. Statements from Disney artist Patrick Block said the following on this project.
Greetings!
Walt Disney comic and gaming conceptual artist Pat Block here. In 2012 I had the very great pleasure and honor of working with Warren Spector and Junction Point on a follow up to Disney’s Epic Mickey and Epic Mickey II. The game was to feature Donald Duck, Duckburg, and the assorted classic world clan. I worked hard on a “Carl Barks” based Duckburg, puling scenes of the town from his comics and doing my best to keep a 1950’s feeling spirit about the game world. Sadly, this was about the time Disney decided to switch over to it’s current gaming, more tablet oriented gaming focus. While we were fully paid for our conceptual work on the project, to date, it has not been made. With the new DuckTales project in the works, I have hopes we still might see the game, with some of our work, get made.
The project seemed to focus on flying and driving, as all the released concept art shows Donald interacting with planes and cars. Seeing Duckburg being the main location for this project is interesting, indicating that the game would take place outside of the Wasteland world from past Epic Mickey games. Cameos of characters like Scrooge McDuck, Donald’s cousins, Daisy Duck, Launch Pad McQuack and more might have been considered for this project.
Shame to see this promising project shut down, as the closure of Junction Point early 2013 after poor sales of Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two likely lead to this project’s demise. Like Patrick stated in his quote, with a new Ducktails show on the horizon, interest in reviving this project could happen. Regardless, shame to see another Epic Disney series project shut down.
Sources: My Nintendo News & Assembler Games Fourm