BELLEVUE, Wash. — The Walt Disney Co. announced Wednesday it will acquire a $1.5 billion stake in Epic Games to invest in its already growing film, television and video game partnership.
Disney and Epic Games have already collaborated on several projects, including Fortnite, The Mandalorian, and park attractions. Fortnite seasons include Marvel and Star Wars. Fortnite and Marvel's 2020 Nexus War with Galactus reportedly attracted more than 15.3 million concurrent players.
“This is Disney's largest entry into the gaming world ever, and a tremendous opportunity for growth and expansion,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement.
North Carolina-based Epic Games said in a statement that the new partnership will leverage Unreal Engine, which has strong ties to Western Washington.
Epic Games first opened a studio in Western Washington in 2012 to help develop Unreal Engine 4. Unreal Engine 4 has been used by game engine developers to create some of the industry's most popular titles, such as Fortnite.
In addition to being used to create video games, Unreal Engine is also used for film and television animation and production. Disney+'s The Mandalorian used Unreal Engine to power “The Volume,” a stage surrounded by giant LED walls displaying digital sets.
According to Disney, Unreal Engine has also created more than 15 Disney park attractions, including “Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Escape in Star Wars.” galaxy's edge.
“Disney was one of the first companies to believe in the potential of Fortnite to connect their world with ours, and they use Unreal Engine across their portfolio,” said Epic Games CEO and CEO says founder Tim Sweeney.
Epic Games' 2021 acquisition of Kirkland-based software developer RAD Game Tools strengthened its ties to the region.
Epic Games laid off about 16% of its workforce in September, including 39 positions in Bellevue.
According to research by the Entertainment Software Association, the video game industry contributed $11.6 billion to Washington state's economy in 2019, the second-largest in the nation.
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