News Disney partners with Epic Games to launch gaming and entertainment universe tied to Fortnite

[MerlinTheGoat]

Oh, I know it’s not worth that but it’s worth noting that it was exclusive to epic games.

Also mainline games are the ones that bring in the most money. They are console releases, I think the age of handheld games are behind us.

They're making a new smartphone game subtitled Missing Link, so nope they're still going at it. Though unlike the prior mobile series, it's also being developed on Epic's Unreal Engine 4 and basically looks just like KH3. Even recycling some of the graphical assets.

No telling how far in development KH4 is, or when it will release. There was 14 years between KH2 and KH3. With a ton of handheld prequels and side games scattered in between. Pretty much all of which were critically important to the plot as well, and Missing Link is clearly going to continue that trend.

Epic Games not only paid Square Enix a lot of money to keep the series exclusive to their store, but it's also believed that they ported the games over themselves. At least KH3, which is a much more stable and performative game than most of Square Enix's other PC conversions of console games (the other older KH games on PC weren't so polished at release however).

There's a fair chance that Missing Link might end up on consoles/PC eventually. They'd need to strip out some of the mobile specific features, but they did it with another mobile pay to win game from the Final Fantasy 7 franchise. Missing Link already looks like it plays very similarly to KH3, and it supports game controllers already (not touch only). So I could see them bringing it to dedicated gaming systems eventually maybe. If KH4 is a REALLY long way off, I could also see them doing yet another remake or two in between. There's a fairly strong demand from the KH fan community to see the Union Cross mobile franchise remade into a proper console game.

 

[Surferboy567]

There was 14 years between KH2 and KH3. With a ton of handheld prequels and side games scattered in between. Pretty much all of which were critically important to the plot as well, and Missing Link is clearly going to continue that trend.

Not exactly, development on KH3 was announced and started development in 2013. So a 6 year wait which is still pretty long. I’m optimistic on KH4 I think next year may be possible. Possibly the year after but with FF7 Rebirth out of the way it should be the next big game in the pipeline. It’s been two years since we have heard anything about KH4 in April.

Union Cross would probably be wise to remake since the story is so essential. Agreed on Missing Link.

Agreed on epic games store, was holding out for a steam release for the deck though that’s probably unlikely.

Unrelated, but are you a FF7R fan? My second favorite series.

 

[tissandtully]

The way they managed to integrate Lego and Rock Band gives me some confidence that anything they bring with Disney will be of great quality.

the Lego mode is very good

 

[dmc493]

This sounds great, but what if they just brought VMK back?

 

[Surferboy567]

This sounds great, but what if they just brought VMK back?

A fan made project did just that. Even added EPCOT as I understand it.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Not exactly, development on KH3 was announced and started development in 2013. So a 6 year wait which is still pretty long. I’m optimistic on KH4 I think next year may be possible. Possibly the year after but with FF7 Rebirth out of the way it should be the next big game in the pipeline. It’s been two years since we have heard anything about KH4 in April.

Union Cross would probably be wise to remake since the story is so essential. Agreed on Missing Link.

Agreed on epic games store, was holding out for a steam release for the deck though that’s probably unlikely.

Unrelated, but are you a FF7R fan? My second favorite series.

I like the original 90's FF7. Not my favorite game in the classic Sakaguchi era, but still very good. I don't like the story changes they seem to be doing with the remake though. I have a suspicion that they're gearing up to make timeline alterations that I won't like at all.

I'm pretty sure completely different teams are working on 7R and KH4. A division of Square Enix called Osaka Team are in charge of the numbered KH games now, they previously made several of the major handheld games and went on to develop KH3. And I don't think they're involved with FF7R at all unless I missed something. Tetsuya Nomura also apparently has very little involvement in Rebirth compared to the first game. So he's probably pretty focused on KH.

Missing Link will probably have its story chapters spread out over a multi-year period of time much like Union X (though hopefully not nearly as long). And i get the feeling that they would want to complete it before releasing KH4 since it seems like the plot will heavily tie into KH4.

Union X being a mobile game was really stupid given how critically important the plot is to the upcoming story arc. It desperately needs a full console remake. At the very least a CG cutscene collection. Guaranteed a ton of people are going to dive into KH4 and be completely lost on a lot of massive important details and characters.

 

[VicariousCorpse]

Union X being a mobile game was really stupid given how critically important the plot is to the upcoming story arc. It desperately needs a full console remake. At the very least a CG cutscene collection. Guaranteed a ton of people are going to dive into KH4 and be completely lost on a lot of massive important details and characters.

This is how the Kingdom Hearts series is though. You are describing every single non numbered game. So like, 10 titles? I can't begin to imagine going from just playing Kingdom Hearts 2 to 3. My head would explode.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

This is how the Kingdom Hearts series is though. You are describing every single non numbered game. So like, 10 titles? I can't begin to imagine going from just playing Kingdom Hearts 2 to 3. My head would explode.

Union X had it WAY worse. A significant number of people still played the prior handheld games as the systems they released on were very popular gaming devices (namely DS, PSP and 3DS). Many of them still resembled the PS2 games in terms of their visual presentation and gameplay. And they were rereleased/remade in multiple console collections well before KH3 finally released.

As a comparison, the PSP prequel to KH1 called Birth By Sleep looks like this-

It was treated as a fully fledged "numbered" entry and stood alongside the PS2 games both presentation and gameplay wise. Whereas this is Union X-

Union X was a cheaply produced pay to win microtransaction mobile game with primitive flash animation and a gameplay system that didn't have any meaningful player interaction. It used touch screen controls and was very automated. A significant amount of the people who gave it a chance when it first released didn't end up sticking with it for very long after the first year or so due to the lack of story engagement and unfun gameplay. The story started back in 2013 and it took them until 2021 to finally finish it. Only hardcore fanboys stuck with it. It's actually a very important plot that is one of the more interesting in the franchise. But the way it was drip fed in an infrequent manner stretched over many many years was absurd. Prior games would end off on cliffhangers, but they at least released as complete packages that could be played and experienced then and there over a reasonable amount of time. Union X is what would happen if you took any of the singular prior entries in the series and only let you experience about 10 or so minutes of the story every month or so, spread out over many many years.

Union X is in dire need of a console remake. With the combat system completely gutted and replaced with the current console variants, consolidating the story into a single game and removing a bunch of the useless padding and pay to win that spread the game out for so many years. The actual story when consolidated and combined into one big whole is similar in length to that of KH2 or KH3. This would also renew player interest in the game again and prepare them for the future games that will all heavily rely on its plot.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Disney and Epic Games to Create Expansive and Open Games and Entertainment Universe Connected to Fortnite - The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company and Epic Games will collaborate on an all-new games and entertainment universe that will further expand the reach of beloved Disney stories and experiences.

thewaltdisneycompany.com

 

[Indy_UK]

I get Partnering with Epic on Fortnite but I don't understand the whopping $1.5 billion investment? Investment in the whole game going forward or are we taking 6 months of Disney content in Fortnite where they try and recoup through skins and packs before a bulk of it disappears?

 

[VicariousCorpse]

Only hardcore fanboys stuck with it. It's actually a very important plot that is one of the more interesting in the franchise. But the way it was drip fed in an infrequent manner stretched over many many years was absurd.

I agree with everything you said, you're preaching to the choir. I just accepted Square's nonsense on how they deliver the story a long time ago. I tried Union X and didn't like it for all the reasons you stated. I ended up watching 6 hours of a fan-made fully voiced cutscenes to catch up on its story after it was completed. I don't expect the average player to have to do this, much less be able to follow this complicated of a story drip fed over so long. Another compilation of games like 1.5 or 2.5 for KH4 should be the route to go.

 

[jeanericuser001]

So this is disney's way to compete with universal/nintendo? Fortnight. I swear the facepalming alone from this is gonna be so bad we need chiropractors standing by to repair all the necks affected by this. I feel I need some naproxen and antacids just after reading this. Fartnight is here to once again gas things up and leave a foul mess once more only this time they got elsa letting one go just to help get it rolling.

 

[JD80]

So this is disney's way to compete with universal/nintendo? Fortnight. I swear the facepalming alone from this is gonna be so bad we need chiropractors standing by to repair all the necks affected by this. I feel I need some naproxen and antacids just after reading this. Fartnight is here to once again gas things up and leave a foul mess once more only this time they got elsa letting one go just to help get it rolling.

You know the company is more than just theme parks?

 

[MrPromey]

I don't see how this is better than making games based on original content. I just don't see how Fortnite could possibly equate to 1.5 billion. To put into perspective, some of the top of the line games cost about 100+ million to make. How could fornite possibly be worth 1.5 billion? There's no way skins or whatever are possibly worth that much.

You clearly don't know much about Fortnite (or Epic Games).

This game brings in literally BILLIONS of dollars a year in revenue.

Fortnite is worth way more than 1.5 billion but that's not what Disney's buying. They're taking an ownership stake in Epic games which is a lot more than just Fortnite. Among other things, they're also the makers of the Unreal Engine which is used to power about 50% (possibly more, these days) of AAA games on the market along with things like The Volume that Disney uses to produce content such as The Mandalorian.

This feels like an unusually smart move by Disney.

If this thing being developed as a part of this deal becomes a part of Fortnite the same way Lego or Harmonix, or Rocket League has been, it won't be another Dreamlight Valley or Disney Infinity that is some closed system that goes nowhere and dies in a couple years.

Fortnite works on a literal software-as-service model receiving weekly updates and changes.

That's not an exaggeration, either. They do weekly updates that change and add significant elements to it on top of the major changes that come every 2-3 months with a new "season".

Taking an ownership stake in Epic Games also means the opportunity for other non-free-to-play gaming opportunities and even in-park attraction opportunities.

I have to imagine they could have done something better for Smuggler's Run if they'd had the support of Epic in developing it. I have to imagine Starcruiser might have been a more interesting development, too.

Anyway, know how it's being constantly commented how Disney's not even in the game business and instead just licenses all their stuff out and how dumb that seems? Well, this gets them directly into the game business with an ownership stake in a partner that knows what they're doing.

Disney now has their own skin in the game. (pun intended)

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

To bad this didn’t unfold before the Epcot Transformation, things may have looked allot different cough EPCOT 94 cough cough

 

[Indy_UK]

Im curious on Epics intentions though. Sony have over recent years have also spent about $1.4 billion to own about 5.4% in Epic games.

Have Disney done the same? It comes across as a deal to helpfully more money out of Fortnite

 

[tissandtully]

So this is disney's way to compete with universal/nintendo? Fortnight. I swear the facepalming alone from this is gonna be so bad we need chiropractors standing by to repair all the necks affected by this. I feel I need some naproxen and antacids just after reading this. Fartnight is here to once again gas things up and leave a foul mess once more only this time they got elsa letting one go just to help get it rolling.

No, this is just a different area of the business.

 

[Doberge]

I don't know anything about Fortnite but the picture shared reminds me of Wreck It Ralph 2:

 

[tissandtully]

My guess for the really big reason behind this is that Disney saw the popularity of some of their IP being incorporated into Fortnite, like Star Wars skins, but they were very uncomfortable about allowing any others being used in this way.

Because when they are in Fortnite, you’ve got your IP wielding SMGs and Ak-47s lol. Has anyone else seen the new Jack Skellington skin in Fortnite? Seeing him with an SMG is really weird. So just like the LEGO partnership, Disney gets to create their own Fortnite platform and protect their IP and keep Mickey from wielding an assault rifle and also rake in the cash.

 

[Indy_UK]

I guess the proof is in the pudding but when a company like LEGO see the value in investing in Fortnite, Disney may be playing a good move. It's not going to be a collosal earner but any profit is profit I guess