Disney could move to acquire Epic Games following major Fortnite investment.
Entertainment conglomerate The Walt Disney Company may be considering a future acquisition of Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite, according to industry speculation.
Reliable tech reporter Alex Heath revealed on The Town podcast that discussions may already be happening internally at Disney. He noted that some senior executives are waiting for the right moment to pursue a deal following Disney’s previous US$1.5 billion investment in Epic Games.
“I know for a fact there are senior executives in Disney who want them to buy Epic and are just waiting for that moment,” Heath said. “And then there are others who think it’s a bad idea. If Epic ever decided to stop being an independent company, Disney would be the most natural home for it for a lot of reasons.”
Fortnite
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Platforms: Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch
Developer: Epic Games
What is Disney's relationship with Epic Games?
Disney’s connection with Epic Games has strengthened significantly in recent years, particularly through Fortnite, one of the world’s most popular games. The company has already introduced extensive collaborations featuring characters from its major franchises, including Marvel and Star Wars.
In February 2024, Disney deepened this partnership with a US$1.5 billion investment aimed at building a long-term entertainment ecosystem within Fortnite. The project promised an expansive digital universe where users can “play, watch, shop and engage” with content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar, and more.
However, progress has appeared slow, leading to growing scepticism among the community. A report by The Wall Street Journal suggested that Epic executives were frustrated by what they described as Disney’s slow decision-making process, requiring approvals across multiple divisions. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney dismissed these claims, calling them “BS”.
Is Disney buying Epic Games?
With such a significant partnership already in place, Disney is believed to have considerable influence over Epic Games’ direction–particularly with plans to integrate a long-term Disney universe into Fortnite. This has fuelled strong speculations that a full acquisition could eventually follow.
Former Disney executive Kevin Mayer recently suggested that expanding into gaming should be a priority for the company’s leadership. Speaking to CNBC, he stated that acquiring Epic or a similar gaming asset would be a strong addition to Disney’s portfolio.
The rumours come at a turbulent time for Epic Games. The company recently laid off over 1,000 employees and faced backlash from the community over a controversial staff dismissal, though the situation was later addressed by Sweeney.
Around the same time, Fortnite increased the price of its in-game currency, V-Bucks, citing rising operational costs. The game has also faced challenges in maintaining and growing its player base, particularly as it attempts to expand beyond the battle royale genre and into the mobile platform, while competing with platforms such as Roblox.
