Sony invests $250M in Epic Games

Sony is making a $250 million investment in Fortnite and Unreal Engine developer Epic Games, acquiring a minority interest in the studio, both companies announced Thursday.

According to a joint news release, the investment will allow Sony and Epic to “broaden their collaboration across Sony’s leading portfolio of entertainment assets and technology, and Epic’s social entertainment platform and digital ecosystem to create unique experiences for consumers and creators.”

The investment solidifies an already close relationship between the two technology companies — a relationship that was recently affirmed in May, when Epic revealed Unreal Engine 5 running in real time on Sony’s next-generation console, PlayStation 5.

“Epic’s powerful technology in areas such as graphics places them at the forefront of game engine development with Unreal Engine and other innovations,” said Kenichiro Yoshida, president and CEO of Sony Corporation. “There’s no better example of this than the revolutionary entertainment experience, Fortnite. Through our investment, we will explore opportunities for further collaboration with Epic to delight and bring value to consumers and the industry at large, not only in games, but also across the rapidly evolving digital entertainment landscape.”

“Sony and Epic have both built businesses at the intersection of creativity and technology, and we share a vision of real-time 3D social experiences leading to a convergence of gaming, film, and music,” said Tim Sweeney, founder and CEO of Epic. “Together we strive to build an even more open and accessible digital ecosystem for all consumers and content creators alike.”