Fortnite Crossing over with massive brands and franchises is nothing new, but Epic Games' title takes the partnership with Disney even further. In the past, Fortnite has properties owned by Disney such as Star Wars and Marvel, and it looks like the partnership will only get bigger in the future.
Now that The Incredibles is part of FortniteAn ever-growing list of crossovers, more news about the game's future with Disney has come to light. According to Saxs Persson, vice president of Epic Games, Disney and FortniteThe partnership is planned to expand into a “permanent universe” as more characters from the company come into play. Since Disney is so selective about which companies they work with, this is huge news for Epic Games, but there is also a big downside to such a crossover. Due to Disney's restrictions on how some of its characters are portrayed, Fortnite will not be able to launch selected characters with weapons.
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Fortnite's Disney crossover means some characters can't use weapons
It raises questions about how this will affect gameplay
over the years, Fortnite has evolved to include a diverse list of gameplay options. From LEGO Fortnite to Fortnite Festival, Fortnite quickly became many games in one. However, the main heart of the title still lies in its battle royale mode. Combat is a key mechanic Fortniteand Disney's stipulations throw a big wrench into how the game usually works. In his recent statements, Persson said: “Not every outfit is going to be able to do everything. A LEGO minifigure is not holding a gun. Brands should be able to enforce brand guidelines to the extent that they are comfortable with that brand being associated with specific ratings.”
The revelation sparked backlash from many players online as some expressed their desire to play as major Disney characters like Cinderella in the battle royale. With Disney and FortniteAn ambitious partnership that aims to bring a standalone Disney-centric experience to the game, this may mean that the crossovers may only be available in this specific mode. Otherwise, a Disney character who is not allowed to use a weapon would become unusable as part of the battle showdown in the game.
Disney invested $1.5 billion in Epic Games at the beginning of the year.
Creating skins specifically for non-combat modes seems like the only way this approach could make sense, but it's already proving controversial. This also brings up a lot of questions about how Disney decides which IPs and characters get gun privileges and which don't. For example, The Incredibles the crossover allows its respective characters to use weapons despite the films being rated PG. With iconic Disney villains Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent set to arrive, it will be interesting to see if the no-gun condition will be applied to G-rated characters.
Not every outfit will do everything.
Fortnite and Disney's Bold Ventures could reshape the game
One of the biggest concerns about Disney's influence on Fortnite is that the game starts to lose its identity under the weight of so many incoming IPs. With the current season Fortnite with the focus on Marvel's Doctor Doom, the presence of Disney-owned franchises is more widespread than ever. While this is an exciting prospect for Disney fans, others have expressed concerns Fortnite being bloated with too much Disney content.
Fortnite
's crossover with
The Incredibles
added Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl and Frozone to the item shop.
As more information emerges about Fortnite and Disney's Expanded Universe plans, it will become clearer how these specific weaponless characters will be implemented in the game. It could be the difference between a PG and G rating, or Disney could decide on a case-by-case basis. Some iconic characters may not be playable in battle royale, but The Incredibles the crossover brings at least some confirmation that not every IP will be prevented from fighting.