Epic and Disney want to “do what every Disney fan has ever wanted”

In February, Disney and Epic Games announced that they would be collaborating on a “persistent universe” that would include characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, star Warsand more. Disney franchises have been featured in Fortnite for years, but this new universe promises to be something bigger – and interoperable with it Fortnite.

Disney and Epic didn't share many details about how this would all work when making the announcement. But after speaking to Epic executives at Unreal Fest in Seattle this week, I learned a little more about what to expect.

A lot of this comes down to connecting with Epic's ecosystem. “Disney wants a permanent place where everything Disney-related can exist, but they want to be part of an ecosystem that we have built,” says Saxs Persson, EVP of Epic Games, in an interview with The edge. “For us, the power of ecosystem collaboration is the real magic here. From a player perspective, you want to be able to switch between a Fortnite Experience, a Disney experience or any other experience really.”

Persson says players can enter the Disney universe “through the Disney front door or the…” Fortnite Front door.” But they are connected to the same cosmetic “lockers” and social graph on the backend. “From a player perspective, it just feels seamless.” (What Persson describes sounds something like this Lego Fortnitea survival crafting game, ties in Fortnite in a broader sense. But it seems like the Disney universe will take the idea even further and be its own thing.)

For Disney, working with Epic makes perfect sense. Many players already own a number of outfits from Marvel and star Wars In Fortnitethat is, if Disney would go to the considerable trouble of building one Fortnite Competitors: Players may not want to switch if they are already heavily invested in Epic's ecosystem. Epic has already proven that it can be a great steward of Disney franchises Fortniteto. And then there's the business side of things: Disney eliminated its own Metaverse division last year, and as part of that new deal, Disney invested $1.5 billion in Epic. If Epic is successful, Disney will be successful too.

But the partnership doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to walk around Fortnite Battle Royale Island as Mickey Mouse with a gun. “Not every outfit will do everything,” says Persson. “A (Lego) minifigure doesn’t hold a weapon. Brands should be able to enforce brand guidelines to the extent that they are comfortable with that brand being associated with certain reviews.”

Disney is aware that different franchises are suitable for certain experiences, says Persson. “Some IPs are not teen IPs or mature IPs. They're E-for-everyone IPs.” That's why you can already play as so many Disney characters that carry a gun Fortnite. Most come from Marvel and star WarsBut as of last week, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible are now also on the list, and soon the Disney villains Maleficent, Cruella de Vil and Captain Hook will also be playable characters.

Epic and Disney haven't said exactly when their persistent universe might be available. But Persson is obviously very excited about it. “It’s one of those partnerships you could only wish for,” says Persson. “This is everything Disney is, and both companies have gone above and beyond to create what every Disney fan has ever wanted.”