Disney Once Tossed Around a Smash Bros-Style Fighter Called Action Figure Face Off
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Former Disney concept artist Ken Christiansen has confirmed that a Smash Bros-style crossover fighting game called Disney's Action Figure Face Off reached the prototype stage before being canceled.
Former Disney Interactive concept artist Ken Christiansen recently confirmed a piece of gaming history that many fans only ever suspected. Speaking in an interview with Time Extension, Christiansen revealed that Disney once worked on a crossover fighting game tentatively titled Disney's Action Figure Face Off. The project was heavily inspired by the boundary-pushing success of Kingdom Hearts, using a clever Toy Story style conceit where iconic characters from across the vault would battle each other as sentient action figures.
Back when Kingdom Hearts was first pitched, Disney executives were notoriously hesitant to let properties like The Lion King and The Little Mermaid cross over into the same space. Once that mold finally broke, creative teams saw an opening to push the concept even further into the arena fighter genre. Early prototype artwork showcased some incredible deep cuts facing off in one versus one combat, including Captain Hook versus the Beast, and Ursula taking on Treasure Planet's John Silver.
Unfortunately, the project never made it past the prototype stage as Disney leadership pivoted back toward safer, traditional movie and TV tie-in games. While we are left wondering what could have been, modern players still have plenty of crossover excitement on the horizon, especially with Square Enix firmly pointing toward a late 2027 release window for Kingdom Hearts IV. Projects like this remind us just how much creative ambition was floating around during the licensed game era, even if many of those wild concepts ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor.
Tags: Fighting Games, Disney, Kingdom Hearts, Gaming History
Original article: IGN South Africa