Disney Was Working on Its Own Smash Bros.-Like Fighting Game, Confirms Ex-Concept Artist

Former Disney Interactive concept artist Ken Christiansen revealed that the corporation once explored a crossover fighting game akin to Smash Bros., but ultimately abandoned the idea. In an interview, Christiansen detailed how Kingdom Hearts inspired the concept, despite heavy resistance from Disney executives who were uneasy about merging various iconic brands.

The project, tentatively titled "Disney's Action Figure Face Off," envisioned characters from across Disney's stable battling each other in a cross-over sports game. Despite its promising premise, the game never progressed beyond the prototype stage and was eventually shelved in favor of movie and TV tie-ins. Christiansen's artwork featured a lineup of eight potential contestants, including Captain Hook versus Beast, and the Queen of Hearts versus the Horned King.

While many of these ideas were intriguing, the project was ultimately deemed too ambitious, and the concept art now serves as a nostalgic reminder of what could have been.