Disney to invest $1.5 billion in Epic Games to create in-game Fortnite universe featuring Marvel, Star Wars, and more

The Walt Disney Company has announced that it is buying a whopping $1.5 billion minority stake in Epic Games to build a Fortnite universe featuring content from its expansive list of IPs. The high-stake partnership means the popular video game will feature "characters and stories" from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, Avatar, and more down the line.

Regular players know that Fortnite already has a ton of integrations, including character skins and limited storylines, such as the Nexus War with Galactus in the battle royale mode. The upcoming partnership is supposed to take things to the next level.

Disney CEO Robert A. Iger has called the move the company's "biggest entry ever into the world of games" that "offers significant opportunities for growth and expansion."

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Did Disney buy Epic Games?

The $1.5 Billion investment in Epic Games from the Walt Disney Company has turned many heads. The deal ensures that the entertainment giant gets around a minority equity stake in Epic. As of 2022, Chinese multinational tech conglomerate Tencent owned around 40% of the total company, with CEO Tim Sweeney controlling a majority.

Other companies such as Sony, and Kirkbi (Parent company of LEGO) also have similar minority stakes in the video game maker.

Everything we know about Disney buying a minority stake in Epic Games for $1.5 billion and its Fortnite universe

The news was announced at Disney's Q1 FY24 Earnings Call. An official trailer was also released on YouTube and other social media platforms to announce the collaboration between the two entertainment giants.

Epic Games, with its Unreal Engine, has become a leading player in the video game industry over the years.

Meanwhile, Disney has been dominating the entertainment market with its burgeoning list of brands, including heavy hitters such as Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, all of which boast millions of fans from all around the globe. With the $1.5 billion stake in Epic Games, the company aims to become a leading player in the gaming market as well.

Talking about the collaboration, Epic Games CEO and founder Tim Sweeney said:

"Now we’re collaborating on something entirely new to build a persistent, open and interoperable ecosystem that will bring together the Disney and Fortnite communities."

Disney representatives have high hopes for the partnership, with chairman Josh D’Amaro stating:

"Epic Games’ industry-leading technology and Fortnite’s open ecosystem will help us reach consumers where they are so they can engage with Disney in the ways that are most relevant to them."

As mentioned before, Fortnite has featured content from Star Wars, Marvel, and other IPs associated with the company for years, as Epic Games started participating in the Disney Accelerator program in 2017. While nothing concrete has been announced about what exactly the upcoming partnership will yield in terms of video game experience, it has been called a "multiyear" project.

As of now, players will have to wait and see when the first results of this $1.5 billion investment come to fruition.