Fortnites Collaboration with Disney Has One Major Drawback

Fortnite crossing over with massive brands and franchises is nothing new, but the Epic Games title is bringing its Disney collaborations even further. In the past, Fortnite has featured Disney-owned properties, like Star Wars and Marvel, and it appears that this partnership is going to grow even bigger in the future.

Now that The Incredibles is part of Fortnite‘s ever-growing roster of crossovers, more news on the game’s future with Disney has come to light. According to Saxs Persson, Vice President of Epic Games, Disney and Fortnite‘s partnership is planned to expand into a “persistent universe,” as more characters from the company arrive in the game. With Disney being so selective about which companies it collaborates with, this is huge news for Epic Games, but there is also a big drawback to such a crossover. Due to Disney’s restrictions regarding how some of its characters are portrayed, Fortnite won’t be able to feature select characters using guns.

Fortnite’s Disney Crossover Means Certain Characters Can’t Use Guns

Raising Questions of How This Will Affect Gameplay

Through the years, Fortnite has evolved to feature a diverse list of game options. From LEGO Fortnite to Fortnite Festival, Fortnite has quickly become many games in one. However, the main heart of the title still lies within its battle royale mode. Combat is a key mechanic in Fortnite, and Disney’s stipulations throw a large wrench into how the game usually functions. In his recent statements, Persson said, “Not every outfit will be able to do everything. A LEGO minifig doesn’t hold a gun. Brands should be able to enforce the brand guidelines to the degree that they’re comfortable with that brand being associated with particular ratings.”

This revelation has caused backlash from many players online, as some have expressed their desire to play as major Disney figures, like Cinderella, in battle royale. With Disney and Fortnite‘s ambitious partnership aiming to bring a separate Disney-focused experience to the game, this may mean that skin crossovers may only be available in this specific mode. Otherwise, a Disney character that isn’t allowed to wield a gun would be rendered useless within the game’s battle royale showdown.

Making skins specifically for non-combat modes seems to be the only way this approach could make sense, but it’s already proving to be controversial. This also brings up plenty of questions about how Disney will decide which IP and characters get weapon privileges and which don’t. For instance, The Incredibles crossover allows its respective characters to use guns, despite the movies 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.

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 will begin to lose its identity under the weight of so much incoming IP. With the current season of Fortnite focusing on Marvel’s Doctor Doom, the presence of Disney-owned franchises is more prevalent than ever. Although this is an exciting prospect for Disney fans, others have expressed worry about Fortnite becoming bloated with too much Disney content.

As more information comes out about Fortnite and Disney’s extended universe plans, it will become clearer as to how these specific gun-free 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 crossover at least brings some confirmation that not every IP will be barred from combat.

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Released

July 25, 2017

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

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Engine

Unreal Engine 5

ESRB

T for Teen – Violence

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Steam Deck Compatibility

N/A

X|S Optimized

YES

PS Plus Availability

N/A

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Split Screen Orientation

Horizontal Only

Number of Players

1-2

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Local Co-Op Support

1-2 Players

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Cross Save

yes

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Cross-Platform Play

Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S

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