Disney has responded after rumors advised it was inquisitive about shopping for Fortnite developer Epic Video games.
Disney president and chief inventive officer Dana Walden touched on the corporate’s relationship with Epic throughout an interview with Bloomberg Dwell. When requested if there have been talks about increasing their beforehand established relationship with a full-on acquisition, she mentioned that technique is not one thing Disney is entertaining, a minimum of proper now.
“Nicely, I feel that it was fairly apparent that we had very critical conversations about an funding and an fairness stake,” Walden responded. “These should not the conversations we’re having proper now, however we have now a terrific partnership and a variety of launches arising over the subsequent two years which might be going to exhibit the worth of this partnership.”
The connection referenced right here was solidified when Disney introduced it acquired a $1.5 billion stake in Epic again in early 2024. It was an enormous play that it promised would end in collaborations throughout Fortnite and extra sooner or later.
“Our thrilling new relationship with Epic Video games will convey collectively Disney’s beloved manufacturers and franchises with the vastly in style Fortnite in a transformational new video games and leisure universe,” then-CEO Bob Iger mentioned. “This marks Disney’s greatest entry ever into the world of video games and provides important alternatives for progress and enlargement. We will’t anticipate followers to expertise the Disney tales and worlds they love in groundbreaking new methods.”
We’re nonetheless feeling the shockwaves of that deal, however some suspected it might evolve into greater than a easy partnership. Tech reporter Alex Heath mentioned in March 2026 that some Disney executives had been “ready for that second” to go all in on an acquisition. Then, in April, Bloomberg reported that Epic was engaged on an extraction shooter that includes Disney characters with plans to launch in November 2026.
We’re now kicking off October with no official point out of that unannounced undertaking, however that does not imply Disney x Epic goes wherever any time quickly. Whereas an acquisition is not within the playing cards, Walden’s promise relating to “a variety of launches” set to reach within the subsequent few years suggests there’s loads extra to speak about.
We’ll have to attend and see how the 2 leisure giants work collectively transferring ahead. Within the meantime, you may learn a number of the different methods Disney and Epic have bolstered their relationship, together with a Disneyland-exclusive Fortnite pores and skin and formally licensed Star Wars minigames.
Michael Cripe is a contract author with IGN. He is greatest recognized for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure you give him a observe on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
