Disney sees gaming as a growing opportunity

The Walt Disney Company recently released its latest quarterly results, showing that the company views gaming as an important growth area. While gaming does not currently generate significant revenue for Disney, CEO Josh D'Amaro says it is strategically important to the company’s future.

Investments in Epic Games and Fortnite

Disney has made a major $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games, the company behind the hugely popular Fortnite. The move underlines Disney’s willingness to go further into the gaming industry. D'Amaro said interactive platforms are becoming increasingly relevant for younger audiences, where they can engage with Disney’s characters and stories.

Popular events in Fortnite

A recent example of the Disney and Epic Games partnership is the "The Simpsons x Fortnite" event, which took place in November 2025. The event posted impressive numbers, with a staggering 780 million hours played and more than 80 million unique players. It shows just how popular Disney’s iconic characters are inside the Fortnite universe.

Tools for Fortnite creators

In addition, Disney and Epic Games have jointly developed a suite of tools for Fortnite creators, allowing them to build their own Star Wars games. Sean Shoptaw of Disney Games noted that storytelling is no longer limited to a single screen, but lives in worlds that fans can explore and shape together.

The future of collaboration with Epic Games

Beyond the Disney content already available in Fortnite, Epic Games is also working on an Arc Raiders-style game featuring Disney characters that could be integrated into Fortnite. During the earnings call, D'Amaro stressed that the partnership with Epic Games and the development of new Fortnite experiences help reach audiences that Disney is not currently connecting with in a major way.

The relationship between Disney and Epic Games also suggests that Disney could eventually consider buying Fortnite. This stems from earlier comments by key Disney figures about Fortnite’s potential as a platform for selling products such as Disney Cruise Line tickets and other connections across the wider Disney universe.