Fortnite developer Epic Games is reportedly engaged on a brand new extraction shooter that includes Disney characters that’s set to launch later this yr.
A Bloomberg report states the at the moment unnamed spinoff is predicted to launch November 2026. It, in addition to the opposite two unnamed titles, is claimed to be the results of a $1.5 billion funding Disney made in the gaming large again in 2024.
In accordance with the location’s sources, the thriller extraction expertise is claimed to be a capturing recreation not in contrast to Embark Studios’ Arc Raiders, which launched to spectacular participant numbers and wound up a large success for the developer late final yr. These conversant in the Disney recreation say some at Epic are optimistic the venture will stick the touchdown at launch, although inside opinions have expressed concern about unoriginal recreation mechanics.
Disney has had loads of its characters crossover to the principle Fortnite expertise in the years since its funding was introduced, with two latest examples seeing Buzz Lightyear and Emperor Zurg becoming a member of its huge 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 in the previous.
It’s unclear which characters from Disney’s large catalog of IP it plans to let unfastened in a brand new extraction shooter from Epic. Additional particulars on the 2 leisure corporations’ continued partnership are even murkier, as Bloomberg experiences the plan is to finally see at least a second and third recreation materialize in the longer term. There’s no phrase on what form every will take, as the location’s sources paint an image of common inside opinions for recreation quantity two, whereas sources for recreation three have been reallocated to the others.
Bloomberg experiences Disney was “upset” with the sport developer’s progress on the opposite tasks, which drove the choice to shift sources round. Epic senior director of world communications Liz Markman informed 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 at all times 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 an announcement, saying that it stays “centered 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” at 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 in the close to future. Remaining workers took to social media in the wake of the information to talk about what was subsequent for the crew.
We spoke with business analysts in the aftermath of the layoffs to be taught extra about what could also be troubling the studio. In the meantime, tech reporter Alex Heath shared on The Town podcast late final month that Disney was allegedly in buying Epic at some level.
Michael Cripe is a contract author with IGN. He is greatest identified for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. You’ll want to give him a comply with on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).