Mickey Mouse Horror Game Changes Its Name After Being Accused Of Antisemitism

The recently announced Mickey Mouse horror game Infestation 88 has already been forced to change its title due to Nazi connotations.

ICYMI: You may have seen recent news of Steamboat Willie’s entry into the public domain, and with it, unsurprisingly, has come the announcement of upcoming horror-related films and video games set to feature the character’s likeness.

Among them was the Nightmare Forge Games-led Infestation 88, a “co-op horror game in which you're an exterminator treating sinister infestations caused by twisted versions of classic characters and urban legends.”

Amid news of the forthcoming game, social media users were quick to blast the game’s creators for its use of “88” — often recognised as a "white supremacist numerical code" used to say “Heil Hitler” without it being obvious.

Update: We're changing our game's name to 'Infestation: Origins'. Full statement below. pic.twitter.com/pHSdT83SEm

— Nightmare Forge Games (@NMForgeGames) January 2, 2024

However, the game’s creators have since denied any knowledge of the numerical association, and revealed the game would now be named Infestation: Origins.

“Our game Infestation 88 is set in the 1980s, with the year 1988 chosen simply due to its symmetrical design in the game's artwork/logo," Nightmare Forge Games clarified on X on Wednesday (Jan. 3).

“Unfortunately, when announcing the game, we were unaware of the additional implications associated with the number 88. Our game is set in the 1980s, with the year 1988 being chosen simply for its symmetrical design in our game's artwork.”

They continued, “Through feedback from the community, we learned it did, and therefore made this name change ASAP. We want to apologize for our ignorance on this topic and appreciate that it was brought to our attention so we could address it. There is no intentional use of Nazi symbolism in our game nor studio, and we'll continue to address any concerns as they arise. We strongly stand against Nazism and hate in any form.”

A release date for Infestation: Origins has not yet been announced at the time of writing.

Meanwhile, Mickey's Mouse Trap, a slasher film that also features imagery from Steamboat Willie, is expected to be released in March, with its trailer already dropping on YouTube claiming the flick is set to be the "first-ever live-action Mickey Mouse comedy horror feature film".

As for what Steamboat Willie’s release into the public domain means for the more contemporary Mickey Mouse, according to a Disney spokesperson, “More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright, and 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.”

They added, “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.”

Don’t mess with the mouse, basically.

Check out the trailer for Infestation: Origins below.