Epic Games is developing a new extraction shooter powered by Disney characters, with Bloomberg reporting a launch window of November 2026. The unnamed title represents one of three games currently in production following Disney's $1.5 billion investment in the studio during 2024.
Details remain scarce on which Disney properties will populate the extraction experience. The genre choice mirrors Embark Studios' Arc Raiders, which achieved significant player adoption after its late 2024 release. According to sources briefed on the project, some within Epic view the extraction shooter as a strong candidate for successful launch, though internal assessments have flagged concerns about derivative gameplay mechanics.
The Disney partnership has already influenced Fortnite's character roster. Recent additions include Buzz Lightyear and Emperor Zurg as available skins, while the main battle royale has hosted various Marvel and Star Wars integrations. Last month, Epic rolled out Star Wars creator tools, allowing players to build custom experiences within the franchise universe.
Resource Reallocation Signals Trouble
Bloomberg's sources indicate Disney expressed frustration with development progress on the other two planned titles, prompting Epic to shift resources toward projects with nearer release dates. Game number two has received mixed internal reviews, while work on a third entry has been substantially deprioritized to support more immediate priorities.
Epic senior director of global communications Liz Markman disputed the reporting, telling Bloomberg the characterization fails to capture Disney collaboration ambitions.
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