Disney rules out Epic Games acquisition for now

MUMBAI: The Fortnite door is staying open, but Disney is not quite walking through it with a cheque in hand. Disney president and chief creative officer Dana Walden has pushed back on speculation that the entertainment giant is preparing to acquire Epic Games, saying the company is not currently having acquisition discussions with the Fortnite developer.

Speaking to Bloomberg Live, Walden acknowledged that Disney and Epic Games had previously held “very serious conversations” around an investment and an equity stake. However, she said those are not the conversations taking place now, while pointing to a partnership that Disney expects to keep expanding over the next two years.

The comments come after months of speculation that Disney’s relationship with Epic could eventually move beyond its existing investment. Disney acquired a $1.5 billion stake in Epic Games in early 2024, marking one of its biggest moves into gaming and laying the groundwork for a wider connection between its franchises and Fortnite.

At the time, Disney said the partnership would bring its brands and franchises into Fortnite through what it described as a new games and entertainment universe. The strategy was intended to connect Disney properties with one of the world’s biggest gaming platforms while creating new ways for audiences to interact with familiar characters and stories.

That investment has since fuelled expectations that Disney could eventually seek even deeper control of Epic. In March 2026, technology reporter Alex Heath reported that some Disney executives were waiting for the right moment to pursue an acquisition of the Fortnite developer, adding another layer to speculation around the companies’ long-term relationship.

Walden’s latest comments, however, draw a line between the earlier investment discussions and Disney’s current strategy. Rather than signalling a takeover, she pointed towards a pipeline of collaborations, saying that several launches planned over the next two years would demonstrate the value of the partnership.

That pipeline could become particularly significant as Disney and Epic continue to experiment with ways of bringing Disney intellectual property into gaming. The companies have already used Fortnite as a playground for Disney-related experiences, while their broader partnership leaves room for additional characters, worlds and interactive formats.

There has also been speculation around a more ambitious Epic project involving Disney characters. Bloomberg reported in April 2026 that Epic was working on an extraction shooter featuring Disney characters, with a potential November 2026 launch being discussed. However, the project has not received an official announcement from Disney or Epic, and there was no formal mention of it as October began.

That silence does not necessarily signal a change in direction. Disney’s comments instead suggest that the relationship remains active, with more projects expected to emerge as the partnership develops rather than through an immediate corporate takeover.

The collaboration has already stretched beyond the standard Fortnite crossover model. A Disneyland-exclusive Fortnite skin has added a location-specific element to the relationship, while Fortnite has also been expanding its Star Wars connection through officially licensed minigames and tools that allow players to create their own Star Wars experiences.

For Disney, the Epic relationship represents a route into gaming and interactive entertainment without requiring the company to own the entire developer. The $1.5 billion investment gave Disney an equity position while allowing the two companies to build a wider ecosystem around Fortnite, Disney’s franchises and future gaming experiences.

For Epic, the partnership provides access to some of the world’s most recognisable entertainment properties at a time when Fortnite has increasingly positioned itself as more than a conventional battle royale game. The platform has become a broader space for entertainment, branded experiences and interactive content, making Disney’s extensive catalogue a natural source of material for further collaborations.

The acquisition speculation may therefore be taking a back seat, but the Disney-Epic story is far from game over. With Walden pointing to “a number of launches” over the next two years, the next chapter is likely to be defined less by who owns Epic and more by what the two companies build together.