Winnie the Pooh Fans Beware: Unsettling New Game in the Works

An Australian indie studio called Twice Different is currently developing a uniquely eerie Winnie the Pooh game titled Winnie's Hole. While the studio's only other game is the card-based roguelike dungeon crawler Ring of Pain, they are now taking on the challenge of adapting a beloved and well-known IP that was previously owned by Disney for their second project. Since Winnie the Pooh entered the public domain in 2022, indie developers have been creating strange and terrifying projects featuring the honey-loving bear. One such example is the live-action horror slasher film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, which was released last year. Despite its headline-grabbing premise of a terrifying Pooh and Piglet duo on a murderous rampage, the film received scathing reviews, earning a dismal 3% on Rotten Tomatoes. The interest in Winnie the Pooh's darker side is not limited to the big screen, as a first-person survival horror game called Hundred Acre Wood has also been announced, where players must fight to survive in the woods against Winnie the Pooh himself.

Twice Different has announced a new horror game that will join the twisted Winnie the Pooh trend. The game, titled Winnie's Hole, will be available on Steam and allow players to control a virus within Pooh that transforms him into a hideous monster similar to those found in Resident Evil. The game's 2D art style was showcased in a short trailer, which also offered a glimpse of the Tetris-style gameplay where players can use blocks to expand the virus growing within Pooh's body. As a turn-based roguelike adventure, Winnie's Hole will require players to manage mutations during battles. This game follows Twice Different's popular Ring of Pain title.

With the original Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse set to enter the public domain next year, there's no doubt that many filmmakers and indie game studios will be eager to explore the possibilities. While later versions of Mickey Mouse will remain under copyright protection for some time, the release of the original character could open up new avenues for horror games or even slasher flicks, much like what we've seen with Winnie the Pooh. However, it's important to note that Disney still has the ability to trademark Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse, which could prevent such works from being created. In the meantime, players can enjoy the unique experience of growing a mutating virus in the world of Winnie the Pooh with the upcoming release of Winnie's Hole on PC in 2023.