Warren Spector says goodbye to Junction Point in public letter

Game designer Warren Spector bid farewell to his days at Junction Point following the company's closure with a letter posted to his Facebook page.

"Yes, it's true," Spector wrote. "The Junction Point journey is over. To all those who've asked, or want to ask, I'm sad but excited for the future.

"[Junction Point Studios] had a good eight year run. I got to work with some amazing people on some amazing projects. I've had some of the most magical times of my life, fulfilling several life-long dreams. I've gotten to know Disney fans and Disney cast members, gotten hands on with Disney's history, walked where Walt walked... 'Magical' really is the only word. Anyway, whatever you think of me, or Junction Point, or Disney or the Disney Epic Mickey games — yes, I know we polarized people! — I'll always look back on the last eight years with nothing but pride. Rarely have I worked with a team more dedicated or harder working. Never have I been part of a game — of anything, really — that touched people at as deep or personal a level as the Epic Mickey games. That's priceless."

Spector continued to comment on highlights of his time at Junction Point, including introducing a mainstream audience to "cool 'core game' concepts" and bringing Oswald the Lucky Rabbit back into the public eye.

"I'll always be grateful to Disney for that opportunity, to the folks who helped out along the way in Glendale, on the studio lot in Burbank, at the parks in Anaheim and Orlando and Paris, at Disney offices around the world and at Pixar," Spector wrote. "I'm grateful to the Disney fans, bloggers and historians who embraced me, the team and our work — that was huge. And, most especially, I'll always be grateful to the folks — the family — at Junction Point who did all the real work."

Polygon confirmed Spector's departure earlier today, along with the closing of Epic Mickey developer Junction Point. The Austin, Texas-based studio employed nearly 160 people in 2012. Spector and Junction Point released Epic Mickey in 2010, and a sequel, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, last fall.