Disney joins Epic in $1.5 billion deal to make a “games and entertainment universe” inside Fortnite
Disney announced that it has acquired a $1.5 billion stake in Fortnite developer Epic Games with an eye toward collaborating on “an all-new games and entertainment universe that will further expand the reach of beloved Disney stories and experiences.” This collaboration will include Disney-owned franchises including Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar, and more.
Disney says the plan is for this to be a “world-class games experience” that has interoperability with Fortnite, but will also be a “new persistent universe” of its own powered by the Unreal Engine.
“The new persistent universe will offer a multitude of opportunities for consumers to play, watch, shop, and engage with content, characters, and stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar, and more,” according to Disney’s official statement. “Players, gamers, and fans will be able to create their own stories and experiences, express their fandom in a distinctly Disney way, and share content with each in ways that they love.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger noted that this is Disney’s “biggest entry ever” into games.
“We’re collaborating on something entirely new to build a persistent, open, and interoperable ecosystem that will bring together the Disney and Fortnite communities,” Epic CEO Tim Sweeney added.
Neither company provided more specifics about the exact nature of the collaborative universe, or on what Sweeney meant by describing it as “open.”
Epic and Disney have already established a working relationship around Fortnite collaborations and themed events featuring characters from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Marvel, and others. In 2017, Epic Games participated in the Disney Accelerator program, an initiative designed to find potential partnerships with up-and-coming companies in the entertainment and technology industries.
In recent years, Epic has expanded the scope of Fortnite significantly, adding new non-battle royale experiences that have included live concerts and entire new games, including Rocket Racing and Lego Fortnite.
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