Skip to main content

Sony invests $250 million in Fortnite maker Epic Games

Sony has invested $250 in Epic Games, the creator of battle royale sensation Fortnite. 

Both companies announced the move on July 9, and said that the investment will bring them closer together in their shared mission to “advance the state of the art in technology, entertainment, and socially connected online services.”

In May, Epic debuted its Unreal Engine 5 graphics on a PlayStation 5, so the companies have been working together for a while. The move makes sense for Sony, which is preparing to release its next-generation console and wants to be at the forefront of entertainment and technology, something that Fortnite has been able to do remarkably well.

Sony’s newest console is in direct competition with Microsoft’s Xbox Series X, so every deal it makes is important. However, it’s not clear if there are any specific advantages in terms of exclusivity with the agreement, and Epic will still be able to publish to other platforms.

“Epic’s powerful technology in areas such as graphics places them at the forefront of game engine development with Unreal Engine and other innovations,” chairman, president, and CEO of Sony Corporation Kenichiro Yoshida said in a statement.

Yoshida also mentioned the “revolutionary entertainment experience” provided by Fortnite. The deal means that Sony is going to dig deep on collaborating with Epic and bring “value to consumers” not only in games but in the entertainment sphere as well.

Fortnite offers concerts, movies, and other entertainment options within the game, and companies are noticing the popularity of these events. A recent virtual Travis Scott concert attracted more than 27 million people. Sony also recently announced that it was going to build a team dedicated to using Fortnite to create immersive media.

“Sony and Epic have both built businesses at the intersection of creativity and technology, and we share a vision of real-time 3D social experiences leading to a convergence of gaming, film, and music,” Epic CEO and founder Tim Sweeney said in a statement. “Together we strive to build an even more open and accessible digital ecosystem for all consumers and content creators alike.”

Epic Games is a privately held company and doesn’t disclose financials, but VentureBeat reported that in 2019 the company saw $4.2 billion in revenue and $730 million in earnings before taxes and other expenses.

Epic Games declined to comment on the deal outside of the press release, and Digital Trends has reached out to Sony for comment as well.

Editors' Recommendations

Jon Silman
The maker of No Man’s Sky revealed its next ambitious game: Light No Fire
Player riding a dragon in Light No Fire.

The developer behind No Man's Sky, Hello Games, has another title on the way with Light No Fire. While the game shares similarities with the developer's previous title in terms of gameplay and philosophy, its director, Sean Murray, said the project will be even more ambitious than the team's past foray> he also showed off a trailer.

Light No Fire TGA 2023 Reveal Trailer | The Game Awards 2023

Read more
For horror fans, Fortnite is secretly gaming’s best haunted house
Fortnite Jonesy running from a ghost bride in a dimly lit hallway.

I never thought the day would come where I'd call Fortnite one of the greatest horror games of all time, but here we are.

If you find yourself questioning that revelation, I completely get it. “Is he talking about the tension of Battle Royale mode? Or maybe the zombies in the Save the World playlist?” No. I straight-up mean there is a fantastic horror game inside Fortnite. There are hundreds of them, in fact, and they're all completely free. These experiences, made entirely by fans in the game's creative mode, feel completely separate from the game they're based in. When taking an even closer look, I found that an entire community of developers have been saturating the Fortnite horror genre with quality titles for audiences of all ages.

Read more
How to turn off those pesky Epic Games Store achievement pop-ups in Alan Wake 2
Saga fights off a Taken in Alan Wake 2.

Alan Wake 2 is out today, and it's already shaping up to be one of 2023's most talked-about games. Launching to high critical acclaim, it's currently available for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5. If you plan on playing it on PC, though, you'll have to do so through the Epic Games Store, as it's not available on Steam. If you're unfamiliar with the platform or haven't played many games through it, here's something you'll want to do before starting: get rid of the app's obnoxious achievement notifications.

Like most platforms, Epic Games Store has its own achievement system. Whenever you clear one in a game, you'll get a big banner at the top of the screen and a loud, cloying ding accompanying it. That's easy to live with in a game with a handful of achievements, but considering that Alan Wake 2 has 66, you'll be seeing it a lot if you leave it on. The survival horror game is a maste rclass in atmosphere, so that ding can be a real mood killer in its most dramatic moments.

Read more