Disney and Epic Games have announced a partnership to create a new immersive virtual universe linked to Fortnite, with Disney also investing $1.5 billion in Epic Games as part of the venture.
While specific details about the project are limited, Disney has outlined its vision for the forthcoming persistent universe, which will integrate with Fortnite and feature beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar characters and content.
Powered by Epic Games’ Unreal Engine technology, the project aims to provide players with a world-class gaming experience and opportunities to engage with Disney’s extensive intellectual property.
Disney’s Previous Metaverse Efforts Scaled Back
Disney previously disbanded its metaverse division, which was exploring interactive storytelling formats, but this collaboration marks a significant entry into the gaming world for the entertainment giant.
Both Disney CEO Bob Iger and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney expressed enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing their goal to create an interconnected ecosystem that merges the Disney and Fortnite communities.
The exact launch timeline for the metaverse remains unclear.
Meta’s Reality Labs Reports Losses
In related news, Meta’s Reality Labs, focusing on metaverse development, reported a substantial operating loss of over $4.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023, despite generating nearly $1.1 billion in revenue.
The metaverse concept has faced skepticism, with industry leaders like Bill Gates expressing caution, and some companies, including Microsoft, scaling back their metaverse initiatives.
