Summary
Disney andEpic Gameshave announced a new landmark partnership, linking brands like Marvel and Pixar toFortniteand the Unreal Engine.Epic Games has collaborated with other top brandsin the past, but this new relationship with Disney appears to be far more robust and encompassing.
Epic Gameshas been transparent about its plans to create a metaverse within theFortniteframework. The most common understanding of this concept is thatFortnitewill serve as a hub for not only its massively popular battle royale multiplayer mode, but a number of different gaming and entertainment experiences. Examples of this more synergistic and multifaceted approach toFortnitecan be seen in the game’s multiple virtual concerts and the more recentFortnite Festival, which brought Harmonix’s once-ubiquitousRockbandto the game.Lego FortniteandRocket Racingare additional instances of Epic expandingFortniteinto more of a virtual world, rather than a traditional multiplayer game.
Disneyand Epic have issued a joint statement announcing a new partnership, further bolstering this metaverse initiative. ThoughEpic Games has collaborated with Disney-owned brandslike Marvel andStar WarsthroughFortniteskins and in-game events, the relationship between the two companies will now be more official, as Disney has invested $1.5 billion to acquire an equity stake in Epic. Disney CEO Robert Iger describes this new partnership as the first step in creating “a transformational new games and entertainment universe.” Iger also noted that “[investing in Epic Games] marks Disney’s biggest entry ever into the world of games and offers significant opportunities for growth and expansion.”
Disney and Epic Games Partnership Announcement Video
Disney’s considerable investment in Epic Games is a significant step for the entertainment conglomerate. ThoughDisney has licensed its IP for games likeKingdom HeartsandMarvel’s Spider-Man, these projects have always been outsourced. With major entertainment companies like Netflix and Amazon investing heavily in internal game development, many have wondered when Disney would take a similar step, and although this partnership with Epic isn’t the same as the company opening its own in-house studio, it’s perhaps the most aggressive Disney has been when it comes to the games market.
[Investing in Epic Games] marks Disney’s biggest entry ever into the world of games and offers significant opportunities for growth and expansion.
Epic Gamescontinues totransformFortnitewith new game modesand features, and it’s likely that this transformation will become even more ambitious with the help of Disney. It’s impossible to know exactly what this partnership will yield, butFortnitefans can likely expect to see, at the very least, a significant increase in crossover content from brands like Marvel,Star Wars,Avatar, and Pixar.
