Disney Invests $1.5 Billion Into Fortnite Maker Epic Video games

Disney is making its largest push but into video video games. On February 7, the Mouse Home and Fortnite creator Epic Video games introduced plans to create new video games and an leisure universe the place customers can “play, watch, store and interact with content material, characters and tales from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar and extra,” firm representatives stated in a press launch.

“Our thrilling new relationship with Epic Video games will convey collectively Disney’s beloved manufacturers and franchises with the vastly fashionable Fortnite in a transformational new video games and leisure universe,” stated Disney CEO Robert Iger. “This marks Disney’s largest entry ever into the world of video games and affords vital alternatives for development and growth. We will’t look forward to followers to expertise the Disney tales and worlds they love in groundbreaking new methods.”

“Disney was one of many first firms to imagine within the potential of bringing their worlds along with ours in Fortnite, they usually use Unreal Engine throughout their portfolio,” stated Epic CEO Tim Sweeney. “Now we’re collaborating on one thing completely new to construct a persistent, open and interoperable ecosystem that may convey collectively the Disney and Fortnite communities.”

This isn’t the primary time Disney and Epic have collaborated. Fortnite has hosted a number of Star Wars-themed occasions over time, together with final yr’s Discover the Pressure occasion honoring the Prequel Trilogy. Again in 2020, Fortnite’s Nexus Struggle with Galactus occasion primarily based within the Marvel universe drew greater than 15.3 million concurrent gamers, in keeping with the press launch asserting the deal.

Whereas it’s tempting to think about Disney as primarily a producer of flicks, TV, and Child Yoda merch, it’s had a finger within the gaming pie for a while. This little nugget from the press launch stunned me just a little. “Licensed video games from Disney garnered greater than 150 award nominations, wins and different accolades in 2023, together with a number of Sport of the 12 months nominations for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Disney cellular video games have 1.5 billion world installs, and up to now, 9 Disney video games franchises have every grossed greater than $1 billion in gross sales.” Who knew?

Anyway, congratulations to each these desperately cash-strapped firms who so sorely wanted an opportunity to earn more money.