Fortnite developer Epic Games gets $2 billion investment to build towards the "metaverse"

Sony and KIRKBI, two major gaming companies, have just donated two billion dollars to Fortnite developer Epic Games. KIRKBI is best known for its LEGO company, which makes toys, video games and even dabbles in the movie industry. Sony does the latter two and already has a working partnership with Fortnite.

The investment is said to be built towards the metaverse, likely a reference to Fortnite. The game is often referred to with the same term, given how many characters are in it. Here's what players need to know about this considerable investment.

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Fortnite developer Epic Games gets massive investment from two major companies

Since Fortnite is the biggest money-maker for Epic Games and is a free-to-play game, the company thrives off of investments like these. Without them, there's no telling where Epic will be, but in turn, their games will likely suffer.

Epic announced the funding on their blog, stating that Sony and KIRKBI invested one billion each. Kenichiro Yoshida, the Chairman, President, and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, said this:

“As a creative entertainment company, we are thrilled to invest in Epic to deepen our relationship in the metaverse field, a space where creators and users share their time."

He added:

"We are also confident that Epic’s expertise, including their powerful game engine, combined with Sony’s technologies, will accelerate our various efforts such as the development of new digital fan experiences in sports and our virtual production initiatives.”

Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, said that as the company reimagines the future of gaming, they need to partner with companies that share their vision. It seems that both Sony and KIRKBI are on the same page as Epic.

What this could mean is big for battle royale fans. While Sony has already collaborated with the game several times (Venom, Carnage, Spider-Man, Prowler skins, and the No Way Home cosmetics come from them), KIRKBI hasn't yet.

LEGO Star Wars (Image via LEGO)

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga has just been released, and there have been rumors of a Star Wars collaboration in Fortnite for a long time. This deal might make it more likely or give players some LEGO crossover.

For more information, visit the Epic Games blog.