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

Disney president and CCO dismisses rumours of Epic Games buyout: "Those are not the conversations we are having right now" Disney and Epic remain focused on creating transmedia content to promote franchises, most recently with The Mandalorian and Grogu Walt Disney Company president and CCO Dana Walden has dismissed ongoing rumours of an Epic Games buyout, saying "those are not the conversations we are having right now." At Bloomberg's Screentime event last week, Walden referenced the "very serious conversations" between Epic and Disney following Disney's $1.5 billion equity investment in 2024. She stated that both companies are focused on upcoming launches to "demonstrate the value of this partnership." When the acquisition went through, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said Epic would "continue to maintain control of the board following the close of [the] transaction." Following Disney's investment in Epic, the companies began a significant collaboration to develop a new "games and entertainment universe." A recent collaboration promoted The Mandalorian and Grogu, with Epic launching a new island, Smugglers Gambit, where players visit Disneyland to experience Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. "When they get there, they link their identities with their Disney ID and Fortnite ID," Walden explained. That [experience] created so many impressions and awareness for The Mandalorian and Grogu, so there will continue to be events that lift these libraries forever." Additional collaborations since the investment have featured characters from Pirates of the Caribbean, The Incredibles, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, as well as multiple Star Wars and Marvel updates.