Thanks to a collaboration between Hipster Whale and Disney, a spin-off game called Disney Crossy Road got released on March 28th 2016. Like in the original game Crossy Road, we can play with many different characters, but this time from the Disney and Pixar universe.
However, the game got shut down on Match 12th in 2020 by Disney. The last update that DCR received was the DuckTales Update (Version 3.2), where we can play with iconic characters like Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, or Darkwing Duck. At this time, we could unlock 714 known playable characters across 23 franchises (Disney and Pixar).
If you did open the game before the shutdown, you would get a message from the development team, where they give you some information:
“As a valued player, we want to let you know that in-app purchases are no longer available in this product, and the product will not be available for download after today. You will still be able to play the game until March 12th, 2020.
Please note that Disney is not responsible for providing refunds or credits for any virtual items, in-game currency, or other items that may be no longer available once a game is shut down.”
So, Disney Crossy Road will not receive any more updates, but luckily, they still keep up the support for the game. But why was Disney Crossy Road shut down?
We can only guess why Disney Crossy Road got removed from the app stores, as Disney and Whipster Whale did not announce any reasons for that move.
The game was not that old eighter (only 4 years), and we can assume they also made quite some profit through in-game purchases or other advertisement strategies. Players were shocked about the announcement of Disney Crossy Road shutting down, as they loved the game.
Most of the player base did not unlock all of the +700 characters at that time too, and the worst thing is that they can not play anymore after March 12th.
However, closing a successful game would make no sense at all. Personally, I think that they want to focus on other projects, that make more sense for them (in terms of profit and long-term potential).
Conclusion
And so, as we hit the finish line of this pixelated tale, we find ourselves in a sort of digital mourning. Disney Crossy Road, our trusty sidekick in those wee hours, waiting in lines, or just burning time – is now gone, buried in the graveyard of shutdown apps. Disney and Hipster Whale’s brilliant marriage of pop culture, gaming, and unadulterated nostalgia, didn’t fail us. On the contrary, it was a beacon of joy, a corner of our screens that echoed with laughter, low-poly frogs, and countless Disney characters.
But what gives, right?
It’s the world of technology, my friend, the digital roller coaster ride we are all strapped into. One moment, we are zipping through lanes with our favorite Disney characters, the next moment, poof! The platform vanishes, pulled out from under our tapping thumbs. Games come, games go. That’s just the ebb and flow, a head-spinning tempo that leaves us hankering for the Next Big Thing.
The reason behind the shutdown? Well, it’s a cocktail of factors. Financial feasibility, changing trends, better alternatives, you know how it goes. Was Disney Crossy Road perfect? Nope, it had its flaws. We all remember that darn glitch during the Pirates of the Caribbean update, right? And yet, we forgave it. Because it was our game, our pocket-sized Disneyland.
The real kicker, the sting in the tail, is that the ending came so suddenly. No drumroll, no grand goodbye. Just a quiet message: “We’re sorry, but Disney Crossy Road is no longer available.” A digital whisper that left many of us in the lurch.
So here’s to Disney Crossy Road. To the many magical moments, it gifted us. The laughter, the tears (yes, we’re looking at you, impossible-to-get characters), the never-ending taps. Farewell, dear friend. We’ll miss your pixelated charm.
But hey, it’s game over, not goodbye. We’re like adventurers in Cube World – always exploring, always hunting for that next vibrant landscape. Sure, there may not be a direct road to cross over, but the thrill is in the unknown, right? Disney Crossy Road offered us a unique twist on the classic Frogger-style gameplay, much like how Cube World reinvents the RPG genre in its voxel-based universe.
After all, who knows what the next level holds for us? Much like venturing into the procedurally generated biomes of Cube World, we’ll find a new game to fall in love with. Let’s plug in, power up, and leap toward our next digital adventure. Game on!
