Disney president and CCO dismisses rumours of Epic Games buyout: “Those are not the conversations we are having right now”

GamesIndustry.biz
Oct 5, 2026, 10:30 a.m. UTC
· 1 hour, 34 minutes ago • Sophie McEvoy

Disney president and CCO dismisses rumours of Epic Games buyout: “Those are not the conversations we are having right now”

GamesIndustry.biz says Disney president and CCO Dana Walden has pushed back on renewed speculation that Disney could buy Epic Games, saying the companies are not discussing that path right now. Instead, Disney and Epic are focused on upcoming launches that can show the value of the partnership they formed after Disney’s $1.5 billion equity investment in 2024.

For developers, the interesting part is less the M&A noise and more the shape of the collaboration. Disney and Epic are building a connected games-and-entertainment universe that ties Fortnite, Disney IP, and even physical park experiences together. Walden pointed to a recent Mandalorian and Grogu promotion that sent players into a Fortnite island, Smugglers Gambit, and then into Disneyland’s Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run experience.

That activation used linked Disney ID and Fortnite ID accounts, added light personalization on the ride, and fed digital rewards back into Fortnite. Disney says the campaign generated strong awareness for The Mandalorian and Grogu, and it plans to keep rolling out events that support its content libraries over time.

The broader takeaway is that Disney appears to be treating Epic as a long-term platform partner rather than an acquisition target. For teams watching transmedia strategy, it’s another example of how game engines, live-service ecosystems, and real-world venues are being stitched together into a single marketing and engagement loop.

“Those are not the conversations we are having right now.”

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At a glance
what
Disney dismissed rumors that it is currently discussing a buyout of Epic Games.
who
Dana Walden, Disney president and CCO; Epic Games; The Walt Disney Company.
when
Walden spoke at Bloomberg’s Screentime event last week; Disney invested $1.5 billion in Epic in 2024.
impact
The partnership is driving Fortnite-linked Disney activations and transmedia campaigns that may shape future live ops and IP strategy.
SignalNeutral

Buyout rumors denied; partnership continues

epicgamesdisneyfortniteacquisition rumorstransmedialive ops
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