In his Facebook post, Spector notes, "Whatever you think of me, or Junction Point, or Disney or the Disney Epic Mickey games - yes, I know we polarized people! - I'll always look back on the last eight years with nothing but pride."
While he refused to say what he plans to do next, he confirmed that he will no longer be working with Disney, adding that he will be back again sometime in the future.
Meanwhile, Disney has reportedly laid off more staff members from several locations. As reported by the L.A. Times, 50 staffers have been let go besides the closing of Junction Point.
I don't know if Mr. Spector reads Gamasutra, but in case he does - all the best in your future! I would seriously pay money (ok, not much - I'm near broke at the moment!) for the opportunity to work with you, and I know many, many other game developers would as well. You have already achieved tons in your career, and I'm looking forward to seeing what marvellous new concepts you come up with in the future.
PS. Mr. Spector - with all these "spiritual sequels" going round, wouldn't you like to make one for your absolutely greatest game ever...? Oh, no, not System Shock or Deus Ex, sir - I do mean Martian Dreams! :)
But this whole "we polarized people, but we're proud of what we did!" attitude kind of bothers me. It's the same type of attitude he had towards the first Epic Mickey - when nearly every reviewer called out the crappy camera and other issues, and he insisted that it was really OK and that they were really proud of it.
Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and admit when you made a disappointing game, or one with serious flaws. It's part of the process of improving. When I played Epic Mickey 2, with hopes that he had fixed many of the issues from the first one - and instead found all of the same issues, with more complex ones piled on top - I felt like I was seeing Warren Spector's hubris converted directly to game form.
I feel bad for him and for all the people who lost their jobs this week. But someone with the inability to see the serious flaws in a game, even when they're pointed out by nearly everyone, is not the type of person I would want to be the director of a AAA game.
@ Aaron San Filippo - It doesn't help matters that the Junction Point could have sent out a patch to fix the camera issues on Epic Mickey as well as a patch to fix the problems with Epic Mickey 2, just like Nintendo created a patch/fix for Skyward Sword. I still enjoyed both Epic Mickey games, but between the two of them, I have to say that Epic Mickey was more solid, even with the camera issues. As for Epic Mickey 2, the game would have been better if Junction Point kept it as a Wii exclusive and if the game got some serious beta testing.
Honestly, they most likely closed down that studio not because the Mickey games where something they could not work with, but because they are going to go in a different direction. More hardcore with the Starwars and Marvel properties I would bet. I just hope they don't bet heavy on those kinds of games, Epic Mickey style games are needed in this industry.
@ A W - Junction Point closing down doesn't have to mean the end of the Epic Mickey series, but for now, it does seem like that it is the end of the series.
They should have gone in a different direction, rather than Epic Mickey 2. I don't know if this is the case, but it was probably a bunch of suits at Disney that forced a sequel. Probably still working there while the creative people are canned for not being creative.
I think Mr. Spector got too rich and too "busy" to make sure that the people who work for him will have a job tomorrow. When all the people u meet kiss your behind u loose .....hmmm... the touch, so I'm sure he'll get together now.
One small suggestion to Mr. Spector/Wrecktor: reach out to the ones that are homeless cause of u.
PS. Mr. Spector - with all these "spiritual sequels" going round, wouldn't you like to make one for your absolutely greatest game ever...? Oh, no, not System Shock or Deus Ex, sir - I do mean Martian Dreams! :)
But this whole "we polarized people, but we're proud of what we did!" attitude kind of bothers me. It's the same type of attitude he had towards the first Epic Mickey - when nearly every reviewer called out the crappy camera and other issues, and he insisted that it was really OK and that they were really proud of it.
Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and admit when you made a disappointing game, or one with serious flaws. It's part of the process of improving. When I played Epic Mickey 2, with hopes that he had fixed many of the issues from the first one - and instead found all of the same issues, with more complex ones piled on top - I felt like I was seeing Warren Spector's hubris converted directly to game form.
I feel bad for him and for all the people who lost their jobs this week. But someone with the inability to see the serious flaws in a game, even when they're pointed out by nearly everyone, is not the type of person I would want to be the director of a AAA game.
One small suggestion to Mr. Spector/Wrecktor: reach out to the ones that are homeless cause of u.