Disney and Fortnite creators plan for Metaverse

The Walt Disney Company is investing about $1.5 billion in Epic Games to develop a so-called "Persistent Universe. According to an announcement on Feb. 7 aims to create an interactive gaming experience that can be combined with Epic's best-known game Fortnite.

This will allow users to play, view, store and interact with Disney content, characters and stories. Players, gamers and fans will be able to create their own stories and experiences. According to Disney CEO Robert Iger, this is "Disney's biggest entry into the world of gaming to date and offers significant opportunities for growth and expansion." Whether this is the realization of the old Metaverse plans remains to be seen.

Disney has wanted to implement the Metaverse since 2022. With plans now announced, this could possibly become a reality in 2024. An exact date for the opening of the virtual Disney world has not yet been set.

The announcement - coupled with positive fourth quarter 23 company figures - caused an explosion in share prices in after-hours trading. At times, Disney shares rose more than seven percent to $106.64.