‘Steamboat Willie’ Horror Game Creators Change Name After ‘Infestation 88’ Link to Neo-Nazi Hate

Ever since 'Steamboat Willie' became public domain on Monday, creators can now use Mickey in their various projects including films, video games and more. One in particular gaining traction is the upcoming horror video game, Infestation '88 — but for a different reason.

On Tuesday, the game — which was developed by Nightmare Forge Games and initially titled Infestation '88 — was renamed Infestation: Origins after many people on social media pointed out alleged Nazi hate messages associated with the original name.

According to the American Jewish Committee, 88 is a shorthand for 'Heil Hitler.' The number eight refers to the eighth letter in the alphabet, H, with the two numbers symbolizing the two words beginning with H. It is used around the world by white supremacists to identify with neo-Nazi movements and to show support for racist views, the website states.

On Tuesday, Nightmare Forge Games revealed the name change and apologized for their "ignorance."

"Our game 'Infestation 88' is set in the 1980s, with the year 1988 chosen simply due to its symmetrical design in the game's artwork/logo," the statement reads. "Unfortunately, we were unaware of any additional meanings the number '88' has. However, after learning about this, we're changing the game's name to 'Infestation: Origins.' We apologize for our ignorance on this and appreciate that this was brought to our attention so we could address it ASAP!"