Epic Games is partnering with Disney to create “an all-new games and entertainment universe” that’s compatible withFortnite.
Announced Wednesday afternoon— at the same time as it was announced thatESPN would be available as a standalone subscription in 2025— this partnership follows a $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games by Disney. They companies now plan to work together over several years to create this experience connected to Fortnite, which Disney says 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.”
This announcement comes in the wake ofLego Fortnite’ssuccesslast year, which proved that full-on games like it,Rocket Racing, andFortnite Festivalcould exist within what was once primarily a battle royale game. From what Epic Games and Disney are saying, it looks like this Disney game will be the most expansive project in this vein yet.
“Our exciting new relationship with Epic Games will bring together Disney’s beloved brands and franchises with the hugely popularFortnitein a transformational new games and entertainment universe. This marks Disney’s biggest entry ever into the world of games and offers significant opportunities for growth and expansion. We can’t wait for fans to experience the Disney stories and worlds they love in groundbreaking new ways,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said of the partnership.
We’ve yet to see this digital Disney universe in action, with Disney simply releasing a concept trailer and piece of key art that shows an interconnected world referencing lots of Disney-owned properties. As such, it seems like the project is a ways off, as it does not have a launch date at this time.
