Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has strongly denied recent claims in The Wall Street Journal that Disney has delayed the development of Fortnite’s upcoming Disney mode due to slow decision-making by the entertainment giant.
The WSJ report suggested internal frustration within Epic over the pace of Disney sign-offs, stating the new mode would not launch until “fall 2026 at the earliest.” Executives were said to be unhappy with delays caused by multiple layers of approval.
Responding on social media, Sweeney labelled the anonymous remark as “BS.” He wrote: “The speed of Disney and Epic collaborations like Darth Vader has been awesome and is around 10x the ordinary speed of media company dealings in this business. We even provided a statement to the writer… but they chose not to print it.”
The Disney collaboration was first revealed in February 2024. Details remain limited, although concept art has hinted at a virtual Disneyland-style environment featuring themed hubs. The specific gameplay elements of this mode remain undisclosed.
The WSJ noted that Josh D’Amaro, head of Disney Parks and Resorts, is overseeing the project and has reportedly spent time with Sweeney during development. The article also raised concerns over legal ownership of fan-created content involving Disney characters, such as in-game dances.
Epic’s partnership with Disney has already resulted in extensive Fortnite content, including Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and classic animation skins.
One recent initiative tested an AI-powered Darth Vader character who could interact via generative speech, engaging with over 10 million players despite early moderation issues.
Fortnite is entering its next season, featuring a mutated biome and guest appearances from Halo characters.
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