A very odd Winnie the Pooh horror game titledWinnie’s Holeis currently being developed by an Australian indie studio named Twice Different. The card-based roguelike dungeon crawlerRing of Painis the only game on the studio’s resume as it’s now preparing to take on a much more recognizable and beloved IP, which once belonged only to Disney, for its second game.Ever since Winnie the Pooh hit the public domain in 2022, indie creators have been coming out of the woodwork with strange and terrifying projects featuring the beloved honey-guzzling yellow bear. Just last year thelive action horror slasherWinnie the Pooh: Blood and Honeywas revealed and released. While the draw of seeing a terrifying Pooh and Piglet duo hunt down victims in a murderous frenzy made headlines, the film received equally scary reviews scoring a horrifying 3% on Rotten Tomatoes. Winnie mania isn’t just hitting the silver screen, though. A first-person survival horror game by the name ofHundred Acre Woodhas also been announced which will see players attempt to survive Winnie the Pooh in the woods.RELATED:Bambi Horror Remake Coming From Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey FilmmakersNow, another horror title is joining this twisted Winnie the Pooh renaissance. Twice Different took to Twitter to announce it’s making a new Steam game calledWinnie’s Hole. In it, players will control a virus within Pooh that transforms him into a hideousResident Evil-like monster, growing limbs, eyes, and mouths from his wicked body.
Accompanying the announcement was a short trailer which showed off the title’s gorgeous 2D art style as well as some of the gameplayWinnie’s Holewill have to offer. In line with Twice Different’s previous gameRing of Pain,Winnie’s Holeis a turn-based roguelike adventure where players useTetris-style blocksto expand the virus growing within Pooh’s body, developing and managing mutations during turn-based battles.
Winnie the Pooh won’t be the last beloved Disney character to be welcomed to the public domain. Next year, the originalSteamboat Willieversion ofMickey Mouseis set to be going public as well and there’s sure to be many filmmakers and indie game studios ready to have a field day. While later versions of Mickey Mouse such asFantasia’s Mickey will still be under copyright protection for several more decades, the release of the face of Disney into public domain could spawn more creepy slasher flicks or horror games in the same vein as Winnie the Pooh. However, Disney still withholds the power to continue trademarkingSteamboat WillieMickey Mouse which would continue to disallow this from happening. While the legal workings aroundSteamboat Willie’s copyright expiration shakes out, players can have fun growing a gross mutating virus inside of Winnie the Pooh.
