Fortnite developer Epic Video games is reportedly engaged on a brand new extraction shooter that includes Disney characters that’s set to launch later this 12 months.
A Bloomberg report states the presently unnamed spinoff is anticipated to launch November 2026. It, in addition to the opposite two unnamed titles, is alleged to be the results of a $1.5 billion funding Disney made within the gaming big again in 2024.
In keeping with the location’s sources, the thriller extraction expertise is alleged to be a capturing sport not in contrast to Embark Studios’ Arc Raiders, which launched to spectacular participant numbers and wound up an enormous success for the developer late final 12 months. These aware of the Disney sport say some at Epic are optimistic the challenge will stick the touchdown at launch, although inner critiques have expressed concern about unoriginal sport mechanics.
Disney has had loads of its characters crossover to the primary Fortnite expertise within the years since its funding was introduced, with two current examples seeing Buzz Lightyear and Emperor Zurg becoming a member of its monumental roster of skins. Final month, Epic gave gamers the flexibility to create their very own experiences based mostly on Star Wars. The sport has additionally featured quite a few crossovers with the Marvel universe prior to now.
It’s unclear which characters from Disney’s broad catalog of IP it plans to let unfastened in a brand new extraction shooter from Epic. Additional particulars on the 2 leisure firms’ continued partnership are even murkier, as Bloomberg stories the plan is to ultimately see at the least a second and third sport materialize sooner or later. There’s no phrase on what form every will take, as the location’s sources paint an image of common inner critiques for sport quantity two, whereas assets for sport three have been reallocated to the others.
Bloomberg stories Disney was “disenchanted” with the sport developer’s progress on the opposite tasks, which drove the choice to shift assets round. Epic senior director of worldwide communications Liz Markman instructed the location its reporting is “not reflective of the ambitions of the Disney collaboration,” including, “We’re constructing a brand new video games and leisure universe of Disney experiences.”
“Epic’s timelines are aggressive and all the time have been,” Markman continued. “We have closely moved builders onto tasks with releases approaching, whereas smaller prototyping groups are engaged on further-off tasks.”
A consultant for Disney additionally supplied the location with a press release, saying that it stays “targeted on our long-term collaboration with Epic which continues to have sturdy momentum and our work to construct a transformational video games and leisure universe stays unchanged.”
Information of Disney’s alleged plans with Epic comply with the announcement that the Fortnite maker had laid off 1,000 workers simply weeks in the past. A message shared by the corporate pointed to a “downturn in engagement” on the time, whereas additionally saying it was “spending considerably greater than we’re making.” A separate announcement confirmed plans to shutter its Rocket Racing, Ballistic, and Competition Battle Stage experiences within the close to future. Remaining workers took to social media within the wake of the information to discuss what was subsequent for the crew.
We spoke with trade analysts within the aftermath of the layoffs to study extra about what could also be troubling the studio. In the meantime, tech reporter Alex Heath shared on The City podcast late final month that Disney was allegedly curious about buying Epic sooner or later.
Michael Cripe is a contract author with IGN. He is greatest recognized for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. You should definitely give him a comply with on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
