- Disney is investing $1.5 billion in Epic Games for an equity stake to build a metaverse tied to Fortnite.
- The metaverse will connect the Disney and Fortnite communities, allowing fans to engage with characters and create experiences.
- This partnership builds on previous collaborations between Disney and Fortnite, marking Disney’s biggest step into gaming.
Disney has announced a multiyear collaboration with Epic Games, the developer behind the popular game Fortnite. As part of the deal, Disney is investing $1.5 billion for an equity stake in Epic. The goal is to build an expansive virtual world that connects the Disney and Fortnite communities.
Details on the Partnership
The new persistent universe will offer opportunities for fans to engage with their favorite Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and other characters and stories. Players will be able to create their own experiences, express themselves, and share content.
The metaverse will be powered by Epic’s Unreal Engine and interoperate with Fortnite. It sounds similar to Epic’s recent collaboration with Lego, which resulted in the launch of the survival game Lego Fortnite.
Previous Collaborations Between Disney and Epic
This is far from the first time Disney and Fortnite have worked together. A number of Disney characters have appeared in the game, including a Marvel-themed season in 2020.
Reactions to the Announcement
Disney CEO Bob Iger said the partnership offers significant opportunities for growth and expansion in gaming. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said they are “collaborating on something entirely new.”
The announcement came with news of a Mandalorian update coming to Rocket League, another game owned by Epic.
While details remain sparse, the partnership marks Disney’s biggest step into gaming. It will be interesting to see how the collaboration shapes up and what kind of experiences emerge from this metaverse down the line.
