Disney Reportedly Interested to Buy Epic Games If It Ever Sells

Epic Games, the studio behind Fortnite, recently announced that it has laid off over 1,000 employees as a cost-cutting measure and has, over time, seen declining engagement with its franchise globally. The studio also stressed that the recent layoffs aren’t linked to AI, and it confirmed that it is shutting down three Fortnite modes, including Rocket Racing, Ballistic, and Festival.

Just to be clear, the company isn’t shutting down anytime soon. That said, if Epic Games were ever to sell in the future, a potential buyer is already showing interest. Here, we are talking about Disney. In Matthew Belloni’s podcast, The Town, spotted by GameSpot, tech reporter Alex Heath claimed that Disney executives have long considered Epic a strategic acquisition.

“I think if Epic ever sold, if it ever decided to call it quits on being an independent company, Disney would be the most natural home for it for a lot of reasons,” Heath said. Not every executive reportedly shares this view, with some opposing the move.

That’s not all; in an interview with CNBC earlier this month, Kevin Mayer, a former Disney executive, said that Disney acquiring Epic would strengthen its media portfolio. “I think Epic or some other video game asset would be a great addition to The Walt Disney Company’s asset base,” he said.

To catch you up, Disney’s current CEO, Josh D’Amaro, is also a video game fan himself. He reportedly played a major role in Disney’s $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games and Fortnite. Some reports also point out that he plans to prioritize gaming and interactivity under his leadership (via The Gamer). That suggests that Epic Games may not be the only target for Disney’s next big move in interactive entertainment.