A pirate gripping cursed gold sees his face melt from flesh to skull. Meanwhile, the Millennium Falcon’s cockpit showcases Tatooine’s dunes and Coruscant’s towers. These visuals stem from the same software, Unreal Engine, that powers ‘Fortnite.’ Epic Games’ Unreal Engine has increasingly integrated into Walt Disney Co., permeating LED soundstages of ‘The Mandalorian,’ imagining suite designs, ride vehicles, and even creating an online game within ‘Fortnite.’ Sean Shoptaw, Disney’s Executive Vice President of Games and Digital Entertainment, highlighted the significance of this integration. ‘We’ve long sought to connect our park experiences with immersive game worlds,’ Shoptaw stated at a media event.
The link between the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride and the ‘Smugglers Gambit’ virtual game exemplifies Disney’s partnership with Epic Games. Disney leverages Epic’s technology across its divisions, aiming to engage fans amidst growing entertainment competition. Jessica Reif Ehrlich, a senior media and entertainment analyst at Bank of America, notes the potential of Disney’s intellectual property. ‘The goal is to craft immersive universes that engage consumers with Disney characters,’ said Ehrlich.
Since 2024, the Disney-Epic connection strengthened after Disney’s $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games for a minority stake. The deal centers on a Disney games and entertainment universe intertwining with ‘Fortnite.’ Despite layoffs at Epic, this collaboration continues. Former CEO Bob Iger saw this as a chance to cultivate a bond between audiences and Disney’s iconic brands. Current CEO Josh D’Amaro, who managed the Epic Games partnership as parks chief, sees technology as essential and describes Epic as a ‘spoke’ of Disney’s digital initiatives, enhancing engagement, especially with younger audiences.
Epic’s Unreal Engine, a 3D graphics technology initially for game development, now serves various industries like automotive design and aerospace flight simulation. Disney employs Unreal Engine across its operations, from films and TV to theme park rides. An audio-animatronic pirate in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland uses Unreal Engine for facial expressions.
In 2021, Unreal Engine received an upgrade to version 5, enhancing its graphics quality and attracting Hollywood’s attention. ‘The Mandalorian’ used Unreal Engine for virtual interactive sets on LED walls, allowing more than half of the first season to be shot without location shoots.
Outside gaming, media and entertainment sectors are Epic Games’ largest clients. Bill Clifford, Epic’s senior vice president of the Unreal Ecosystem, highlights the extension of intellectual property into interactive experiences. He points out that studios now develop gaming content to integrate with ‘Fortnite’ and theme parks.
Recently, Disneyland introduced a new audio-animatronic pirate in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. ‘You want to create the feeling of life,’ said Margaret Kerrison, a former Disney Imagineer. ‘Using technology for emotional nuance makes it believable and compelling for guests.’
Since its 2019 debut, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run utilized Unreal Engine to craft dynamic landscapes. The visuals, displayed through the ship’s cockpit, adapt as riders navigate different worlds. Asa Kalama from Walt Disney Imagineering praised the tool’s power: ‘Unreal Engine 5 allows a more cinematic experience.’ The ride connects to the ‘Smugglers Gambit’ game in ‘Fortnite,’ potentially converting players to park visitors. Rewards in the game align with riders’ theme park performances.
According to Clifford, starting a story in the theme park and continuing it in a game introduces new immersive experiences for consumers.