Did Disney buy Fortnite (Epic Games)?: Explained

Epic Games and The Walt Disney Company's recent announcement of a brand new gaming universe within Fortnite has not only pleasantly shocked people around the world but has sparked widespread speculation about the partnership. While the collaboration between the two industry giants is sure to be a sight to behold when it materializes, it has left some players to wonder: Did Disney buy Epic Games and Fortnite?

The short answer to this question is, no, Disney did not buy Fortnite for this partnership. The Walt Disney Company has invested in Epic Games by purchasing a minority stake worth $1.5 billion. Disney has not acquired Epic Games or their global battle royale phenomenon in its entirety.

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What the collaboration with The Walt Disney Company means for Fortnite and Epic Games

Disney buying a minority stake in the company allows them to have input and influence on Epic Games' actions. However, this does not necessarily imply that Disney will dictate Epic Games' decisions moving forward. This will allow Epic Games to remain an independent entity with its own creative direction.

The primary goal here is to revolutionize the gaming landscape by integrating iconic stories and characters from Disney's vast library of intellectual properties like Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar, and so much more into Fortnite.

With the launch of the Disney x Epic Games collaboration, players will have the chance to engage with and experience their favorite Disney universe characters and franchises in groundbreaking ways. The entire project will be built using UEFN (Unreal Engine for Fortnite) and will feature not only characters in the game but also a mechanic that will allow gamers to watch Disney content within Fortnite itself.

CEO of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney, expressed in a recent press release that the developers aim to capitalize on the potential of this partnership with one of the biggest entertainment companies on the planet. The idea behind the collaboration is to build a persistent and open ecosystem that not only provides a different perspective on old Disney tales but also brings new eyes to them in the form of Fortnite's existing playerbase.

While Epic Games' previous partnerships with Disney, like the Jack Skellington skin or the Marvel Battle Pass in Chapter 2 Season 4, have been successful, they now seem like appetizers before the main course that is this epic collaboration.