A Disney-branded extraction shooter is reportedly in development at Epic Games, with a planned launch in November 2026.
Bloomberg reported on April 10 that four current and former Epic employees confirmed the project. The first new game to come from Disney’s $1.5 billion investment into Epic Games will launch in November, and it will be a shooter along the lines of the popular extraction game Arc Raiders. Players will be able to suit up as a Disney character and duke it out until they reach an extraction point.
This would mark the first brand-new game to come directly out of the Disney and Epic partnership, which was announced in February 2024.
What the Game Actually Is
The project is described as an online shooter where players choose Disney characters, fight through enemies, and reach an extraction point to complete a run. The format mirrors how games like Arc Raiders operate: squad-based, objective-driven, and structured around survival to a designated exit.
The report does not address whether this Disney extraction shooter will be a standalone game or accessible from within Fortnite. Epic has previously billed some content within Fortnite as separate games rather than mere modes, and some have featured wildly distinct gameplay styles.
Which Disney characters will appear in the game has not been confirmed by the report. The IP connected to Disney’s investment includes Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar, among others.
Internal Concerns About the Game
The Bloomberg report does not paint a straightforward picture of the project’s progress.
According to the report, internal reviews for the project have assessed it to be “not very original” in its current form, but other staffers said they feel optimistic that it will be in better shape come launch.
Three former Epic developers speaking to Bloomberg said they faced an “unrealistic schedule.” Multiple current and former Epic developers said this was emblematic of a pattern that they believed played a part in Epic’s recent downsizing decision. Fortnite’s Counter-Strike-like mode, Ballistic, was cited as an example of something that could have been successful if Epic had given it more time and resources. Instead, Ballistic is shutting down next week.
Two More Disney Games Are in the Pipeline
The extraction shooter is not the only project tied to the Disney collaboration.
Disney’s investment into Epic and Fortnite will span at least two more games, sources added. An early version of the second game got “middling internal reviews.” The report went on to say budget for the third game was shifted to the first two projects because “Disney was disappointed by Epic’s release timeline.”
This means the November 2026 extraction shooter is being treated as the first deliverable from a larger multi-game plan that has already run into complications.
What Epic and Disney Said
Neither company confirmed the details of the game directly.
Epic’s senior director of global communications, Liz Markman, said the report was “not reflective of the ambitions of the Disney collaboration. We are building a new games and entertainment universe of Disney experiences.” She did not address the specific details of the extraction shooter.
A Disney spokesperson said it continues to be focused on a “long-term collaboration” with Epic to build a “transformational games and entertainment universe.”
Context: Epic’s Current Struggles
This report arrives at a difficult moment for Epic Games.
Last month, Epic announced layoffs of over 1,000 employees as part of a $500 million cost-saving effort. CEO Tim Sweeney said the company was “spending significantly more than we’re making” due to a downturn in Fortnite engagement that started in 2025. Multiple Fortnite modes were also confirmed for shutdown, including Ballistic, Festival Battle Stage, and Rocket Racing.
Epic’s recent round of layoffs included people working on the unannounced Disney games.
For more context on Epic’s recent financial moves, TalkEsport’s coverage of the Fortnite V-Bucks price increase in 2026 explains how Epic has been trying to offset rising operational costs. The separate question of whether Disney could eventually acquire Epic entirely was covered in our Disney and Epic Games acquisition rumor report.
Disney and Epic’s Broader Relationship
The $1.5 billion investment from Disney into Epic was announced in February 2024. It was framed as the beginning of a long-term collaboration to build an “entertainment universe” inside Fortnite and beyond.
Disney and Epic also work together for film and TV production, with Disney’s Lucasfilm utilizing Unreal Engine to film major productions like The Mandalorian. Disney’s new CEO, Josh D’Amaro, has said Fortnite could play host to movie premieres, or even be a way for players to buy Disney Cruise Line tickets.
D’Amaro’s interest in the partnership runs deep. Before becoming Disney CEO, he publicly called the Epic collaboration one of the most significant things he worked on, saying it “will redefine how fans play, create, and connect with Disney stories.”
D’Amaro’s love of video games, combined with the ongoing investment and close relationship between Disney and Epic, has fueled theories that Disney could buy Epic and Fortnite. That remains to be seen, and Epic CEO Tim Sweeney owns a majority interest in Epic and would have to sign off.
For more on the existing Disney presence inside Fortnite, the official Fortnite news section at Epic Games tracks the latest updates as they happen.
The extraction shooter, if it launches on schedule in November, would represent a significant expansion of what the Disney and Epic partnership looks like in practice, moving beyond seasonal skins and crossover events into a dedicated new game format. For more Fortnite coverage and the latest Epic Games news, follow TalkEsport’s Fortnite section.
FAQ
What is the Disney extraction shooter from Epic Games? It is an unreleased online shooter featuring Disney characters, where players fight enemies to reach an extraction point. Bloomberg reported it on April 10, 2026, citing four current and former Epic employees.
When will the Disney extraction shooter launch? According to Bloomberg’s sources, the planned launch window is November 2026.
Is the Disney extraction shooter a Fortnite mode or a separate game? That has not been confirmed. Epic has previously released distinct game modes under the Fortnite umbrella, but the Bloomberg report does not specify whether this will be standalone or embedded in Fortnite.
What Disney characters will be in the extraction shooter? No specific characters have been confirmed. Disney’s IP connected to the Epic partnership includes brands like Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Avatar.
What is Disney’s investment in Epic Games? Disney invested $1.5 billion into Epic Games in February 2024, acquiring a minority equity stake as part of a long-term collaboration agreement.
Has Epic Games confirmed the Disney extraction shooter? No. Epic’s spokesperson said the Bloomberg report was “not reflective of the ambitions of the Disney collaboration” without directly denying or confirming the extraction shooter specifically.
