Epic Games is teaming up with Disney for a brand new project. Yesterday, a Bloomberg report revealed the latest details of their massive collaboration. The two giants are developing an ARC Raiders-style extraction shooter. Furthermore, players might get their hands on this title as early as November 2026.
A Transformational Universe Under Construction
Back in 2024, Disney invested a massive $1.5 billion into Epic Games. The Disney CEO promised a transformational new game and entertainment universe. Now, two years later, we finally have concrete details.
According to four current and former employees, the upcoming extraction shooter will heavily feature Disney characters. Players will control these characters in combat, fighting to reach a designated extraction point. However, several key details remain unknown. We do not yet know the character roster or the enemy types. Additionally, it remains unclear whether this will launch as a standalone game or integrate directly into Fortnite.
Internal Criticism & Development Drama
Despite the hype, the project faces internal pushback. Some internal reviewers heavily criticized the extraction shooter, calling it “not very original”. Meanwhile, others remain optimistic that Epic Games will refine the mechanics before launch.
This extraction shooter is just one piece of the puzzle. Epic is reportedly developing two additional games under the Disney partnership. Unfortunately, the second game recently received “middling” internal reviews. Consequently, Epic moved staff from the third game to try and salvage the second.
Epic Games actively denies these pessimistic rumors. The Senior Director of Communications released a statement refuting the claims. They stated the internal criticism does not reflect the true ambitions of the Disney collaboration.
High Stakes for Epic Games & Disney
Epic Games desperately needs a major commercial win right now. Earlier this year, the company executed severe layoffs, firing around 1,000 employees. Shockingly, these cuts included the original artist behind Fortnite’s Jonesy and an employee fighting terminal cancer. Shortly afterward, Epic also shut down three distinct game modes within Fortnite.
Therefore, if this new Disney extraction shooter succeeds, it will bring tremendous relief to both companies. Given the massive financial investment, there is a lot riding on this partnership. Expect official teasers soon if the November launch window holds true.
