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Recent news revealed that tech giant Sony just made a huge $250 million-dollar investment in Epic Games for a minority stake in the company. Epic Games is the creator of the widely popular game Fortnite, which has been the main entertainment source for many teens around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. With Sony’s new investment, Epic Games has now raised a total of $1.83 billion dollars to fund their new endeavors and to make improvements on their existing titles.Â
Both companies have stated that this new investment further depends the already existing relationship the two had. This is undoubtedly a smart move by Sony given they recently announced the release of the PS5 console which is slated to be available in a few months.
By making an investment in one of the largest and most popular gaming companies in the world, Sony is surely positioning itself to be a leader in this next generation of console gaming. Both Epic Games and Sony share a vision for creating an entirely new world of entertainment and art in technology, which is evident by both company’s previous track records in the industry.
What it means for gamers
Sony’s tight relationship with Epic Games came to the forefront this past May when Epic Games showcased a demo of the Unreal Engine 5 which ran on Sony’s yet to be released PS5 console. The details of the contract between Sony and Epic Games details how this investment will allow both companies to continue broadening the partnership and products they offer in conjunction with one another.Â
Sony brings a portfolio of entertainment assets to the table while Epic Games brings a digital ecosystem and social platform to the deal. With both companies being powerhouses in their own individual rights, this new deal will surely spark some interesting releases in the near future.Â
As a gamer, this news should excite you as both companies are working to bring exclusive content and unique experiences to both gamers and creators alike. This investment does not stop Epic Games from releasing titles and content on other platforms, as Sony only owns a minority stake in the company.
So if you’re an Xbox fanboy, there is no reason to sweat, yet, as we only have to see how the deal grows in the future. The closing of this new investment is still subject to regulatory approval however things are looking brighter than ever before for both Sony and Epic Games.
What to expect
This new deal with give Sony tons of much needed leverage in this year’s upcoming gaming console war as both the Xbox Series X and PS5 are slated to be released to the public around the same time. Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida spoke about the new deal and how Epic Game’s technology would help the gaming manufacturer stay ahead of the curve in terms of new game development and emerging trends.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said that the new deal would foster a “more open and accessible digital ecosystem for all consumers and content creators.â€