Disney Details $1.5 Billion Epic Partnership to Build Persistent Universe as D23 Reveal Looms
Updated
Updated · Insider Gaming · Aug 14
Disney Details $1.5 Billion Epic Partnership to Build Persistent Universe as D23 Reveal Looms
3 articles · Updated · Insider Gaming · Aug 14
Summary
Disney said its multi-year project with Epic Games aims to create a connected universe where fans can play, watch, shop and create across Disney characters, stories and worlds.
Sean Shoptaw, Disney’s games and digital entertainment chief, called Fortnite one of the world’s most important social entertainment platforms and said Disney wants to build something “truly transformational” inside that ecosystem.
The update adds substance to a plan first announced in February 2024, when Disney invested $1.5 billion for an equity stake in Epic and outlined a persistent-universe vision.
Disney has already deepened ties with Fortnite through major crossovers, including The Simpsons in 2025, while a broader rollout timeline for the new universe remains undisclosed.
The push comes as Disney’s games business gains weight—consumer spend topped $4 billion last fiscal year—and more details could emerge at this weekend’s D23 event.