Disney Speedstorm - What We Know So Far

There's no denying the staying power of Disney. The company's characters — and the films they're a part of — have a tremendous ability to form connections with viewers and create fans that are always hungry for more. After the critically acclaimed "Kingdom Hearts" series, it always seemed only a matter of time before Disney collected its famous worlds together again for another multiversal adventure. And now that day has finally arrived, although it may be in a form that gaming fans weren't expecting.

In a move to rival Nintendo's enormous "Mario Kart" franchise, "Disney Speedstorm" was revealed during the February 9 Nintendo Direct. The free-to-play combat racer will allow players to take control of fan favorite Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Mulan and Sully while racing across courses set in iconic locales from various Disney films and media. Here's everything Disney and Nintendo have revealed about the upcoming title.

While there's no concrete release date set for "Disney Speedstorm," a general release window was revealed alongside the game's announcement. "Disney Speedstorm" will be available to players sometime in the summer of 2021, but anything more specific than that is anyone's best guess. Thankfully, that window isn't too far out, meaning the game is likely a good ways into development and a more solid release date announcement should be forthcoming. Fans can only hope the title doesn't run into any delays along the way, as is all too common with game development during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Over on Twitter, fans have has rather mixed reactions to the announcement. At least a few commenters have unfavorably compared the unreleased game to "Mario Kart," with some saying they're going to pass on "Speedstorm." On the opposite end, indie game developer @mrsmes09 responded to the news in a more positive tone: "I on the other hand cannot wait for Disney SpeedStorm." 

While players are split over whether they actually want the game, most share the same sentiments about the title's alleged free-to-play structure — as in, many gamers won't believe it's free until they see it. Hopefully that last point will be clarified when the game's exact release date is revealed.

A trailer for "Disney Speedstorm" accompanied the title's announcement during the Feb. 9 Nintendo Direct. In the brief video, players get a glimpse at some of the wacky action they'll be able to take part in, as well as spy a few of the characters who are set to appear.

The trailer opens with some brief clips of a race in progress while the narrator explains the title is being developed by Gameloft, the team behind the "Asphalt" franchise. It's easy for eagle-eyed fans to spot the characters racing across stages inspired by films like "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Monsters Inc.," but a few glimpses can also be caught of what looks like a "Mulan"-inspired course and another that takes players up into the clouds. 

As far as characters go, Mickey Mouse, Mulan and Sully were all called out by name, but Jack Sparrow and Donald Duck can also be seen at various points throughout the reveal. It's likely that a number of other character reveals will be rolled out as the release date nears.

Although the Nintendo Direct trailer for "Disney Speedstorm" was short, a great deal was revealed about how the game will play. As players might expect from any respectable combat racer, a large portion of "Disney Speedstorm" looks like it'll function akin to the "Mario Kart" series, with players drifting around corners at top speeds and using offensive abilities to gain the upper hand. Where "Disney Speedstorm" will differ is in its characters' unique abilities.

The trailer for "Disney Speedstorm" confirmed that each of the iconic racers will bring something special to the table, which will be seen in the form of the driver's special abilities and ultimate skills. These special abilities appear to be something players will be able to pull off somewhat frequently, offering a little boost or some other advantage that helps wrestle a better position during the race. Ultimate skills, on the other hand, sound like they'll be much more rare and have the ability to turn the tide of a race.