Epic Games to Launch Disney Extraction Shooter This Year
▼ Summary
– Epic Games is reportedly developing a Disney-themed extraction shooter, similar to Arc Raiders, for release this year.
– This project stems from a $1.5 billion partnership and multi-year deal announced in 2024 to create a connected Disney gaming universe.
– An Epic spokesperson disputed a report about development issues, stating the collaboration’s ambitions remain strong and aggressive timelines are standard.
– The broader Disney-Epic deal is expected to yield at least two more games, though a second title has received mixed early internal feedback.
– These developments follow recent Epic Games layoffs that affected over 1,000 employees, including a veteran programmer.
A major new live-service shooter from Epic Games, developed in partnership with Disney, is reportedly targeting a release later this year. According to sources, the title will adapt the popular extraction shooter formula, similar to games like Arc Raiders, but will feature iconic characters from Disney’s vast portfolio. The objective will involve teams battling enemies to reach a designated extraction point, blending familiar gameplay with a distinct Disney aesthetic.
This project stems from the landmark $1.5 billion strategic investment Disney made in Epic Games back in 2024, which established a multi-year collaboration. The stated ambition was to create a persistent, open games and entertainment universe connected to Fortnite. The partnership explicitly includes characters and worlds from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar, with a focus on allowing players to craft their own stories and share content.
While some developers have expressed concerns that the core gameplay mechanics may feel derivative, other team members remain confident that Epic will refine the experience before launch. Reports also suggest the broader Disney deal is expected to yield at least two additional titles, though one has received mixed early internal feedback. To accelerate development, resources were reportedly shifted from a third project onto the primary titles.
Epic Games has pushed back on aspects of this reporting. Liz Markham, the company’s senior director of global communications, stated the characterization does not reflect the true scope of their Disney collaboration. She emphasized that the teams are building an entirely new universe of interconnected experiences. Markham also noted that Epic’s development cycles are inherently aggressive, with developers routinely moving to projects nearing release while smaller teams prototype future concepts.
A Disney spokesperson reaffirmed the company’s commitment, stating the long-term collaboration with Epic maintains strong momentum and their vision for a transformational entertainment universe is unchanged. This news follows recent organizational changes at Epic, including significant layoffs earlier this year that affected over a thousand employees. The company has stated it is supporting affected individuals and their families in the aftermath of those difficult decisions.
(Source: Eurogamer.net)
