Epic and Disney want to make ‘what every Disney fan has ever wanted’

In February, Disney and Epic Games announced that they were collaborating connected a “persistent universe” that would diagnostic characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and more. Disney franchises person been featured successful Fortnite for years, but this caller beingness promises to beryllium thing grander — and volition beryllium interoperable with Fortnite.

Disney and Epic didn’t stock galore details astir however this would each enactment when it was announced. But aft talking to Epic executives during Unreal Fest successful Seattle this week, I’ve learned a spot much astir what to expect.

A batch of it comes down to connecting into Epic’s ecosystem. “Disney wants a persistent spot wherever each things Disney tin beryllium there, but they privation to beryllium portion of an ecosystem we’ve built,” Epic Games EVP Saxs Persson says successful an interrogation with The Verge. “We spot the powerfulness of ecosystems interoperating arsenic being truly the magic here. From a subordinate perspective, you privation to beryllium capable to travel betwixt a Fortnite experience, a Disney experience, oregon immoderate acquisition really.”

Persson says players volition beryllium capable to travel into the Disney beingness “in the Disney beforehand doorway oregon the Fortnite beforehand door.” But they’ll link connected the backend to the aforesaid cosmetic “lockers” and societal graph. “From a subordinate perspective, it conscionable feels seamless.” (What Persson is describing sounds somewhat similar however Lego Fortnite, which is simply a endurance crafting game, ties into Fortnite more broadly.)

For Disney, teaming up with Epic makes plentifulness of sense. Many players already ain a clump of outfits from Marvel and Star Wars successful Fortnite, truthful if Disney went to the sizeable occupation of gathering a Fortnite competitor, players mightiness not privation to determination implicit if they’re already heavy invested successful Epic’s ecosystem. Epic has already proved that it tin beryllium a great caretaker of Disney franchises successful Fortnite, too. And past there’s the concern broadside of things: Disney eliminated its ain metaverse division past year, and arsenic portion of this caller arrangement, Disney invested $1.5 cardinal into Epic. If Epic succeeds, past Disney volition win arsenic well.

But the concern doesn’t needfully mean you’ll beryllium capable to tally astir the Fortnite conflict royale land arsenic Mickey Mouse with a gun. “Not each outfit volition beryllium capable to bash everything,” Persson says. “A [Lego] minifig doesn’t clasp a gun. Brands should beryllium capable to enforce the marque guidelines to the grade that they’re comfy with that marque being associated with peculiar ratings.”

Disney understands that antithetic franchises are suitable to definite experiences, Persson says. “Some IPs are not teen IPs oregon mature IPs. They are E for everyone IPs.” That’s wherefore you tin already play arsenic galore Disney-owned characters wielding a weapon successful Fortnite. Most are from Marvel and Star Wars, but arsenic of past week, the database present includes Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, and Disney villains Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, and Captain Hook are acceptable to beryllium playable characters soon, too.

Epic and Disney haven’t said precisely erstwhile their persistent beingness mightiness beryllium available. But Persson is intelligibly precise excited astir it already. “It’s 1 of those partnerships that you tin lone privation for,” Persson says. “This is each of Disney, and this is all-in from some companies to marque what each Disney instrumentality has ever wanted.”