Sony and Epic Games:  What does the collaboration mean for Fortnite?

Back in May, Unreal Engine 5 — the new game engine made by Fortnite's developers Epic Games — was announced with a PS5 demo. Further, the American developers announced that Fortnite will be available on all next-gen consoles that support its Unreal Engine 5, including PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Now, adding to the growing ties between the two giants, Sony has bought a $250 million minority stake in Epic. News related to the deal broke out on Twitter earlier today:

Breaking: Sony buys $250 million stake in Fortnite creator Epic Games https://t.co/GhbD0w8BUN pic.twitter.com/Z1Qpdnnwf9

— The Verge (@verge) July 9, 2020

In this article, we look at what the collaboration could mean for Fortnite.

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What the collaboration means for Fortnite?

Kenichiro Yoshida (Credit: bt.com)

This deal makes perfect sense for multiple reasons. Kenichiro Yoshida, Sony’s Chairman, President and CEO, said the following about the investment:

“Epic’s powerful technology in areas such as graphics places them at the forefront of game engine development with Unreal Engine and other innovations. There’s no better example of this than the revolutionary entertainment experience, Fortnite. Through our investment, we will explore opportunities for further collaboration with Epic to delight and bring value to consumers and the industry at large, not only in games, but also across the rapidly evolving digital entertainment landscape.”

Tim Sweeney (Credit: wccftech.com)

Further, Tim Sweeney, Founder and CEO of Epic Games, said the following:

“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. Together we strive to build an even more open and accessible digital ecosystem for all consumers and content creators alike.”

Needless to say, it is hard to argue with either party. We have already seen the real-time online social events that Epic has experimented with, in the form of concerts and music screenings via its Party Royale events. Further, we saw the change in tone that this Fortnite feature saw with the new ‘We the People’ event.

Credit: forums.unrealengine.com

On the other hand, Sony is a truly global giant, with a total worth of around $70 billion. Its’ tentacles are spread across the gaming, entertainment, music and electronics industries, among others.

The deal should benefit both parties, as Fortnite has seen a stagnation of sorts over the past year or so, and the collaboration can mean only good things for the game. Further, to have support from the company that has developed the Unreal Engine 5 is always an advantage, as far as Sony’s console war with Microsoft is concerned.

Credit: fonearena.com

Needless to say, all signs suggest that the deal could prove to be one of the most influential ones in recent memory. For Fortnite players around the world, the collaboration means new events and equipment of different kinds, at the very least.

Finally, it is worth noting that the $330 million investment that Tencent made in Epic back in 2012 gave them a 40% stake in the company. Today, eight years later, Sony’s $250 million stake is worth only 1.5 percent of the company! The growth has been exponential, and Fortnite is right at the forefront of this!