Disney's annual D23 fan event will take place Saturday, August 10 and it seems the media conglomerate has some special Fortnite announcements on the schedule.
In February, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that the company had invested over $1 billion in Fortnite developer Epic Games.
According to variety.com, Iger said this will be its "biggest foray into the game space ever" and will "offer a multitude of opportunities for consumers to play, watch, shop and engage with content, characters and stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar and more."
The D23 panel will be hosted live by Josh D'Amaro who serves as the parks and experiences chief along with some mysterious special guests whose identities are being kept under lock and key for the time being.
The D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event will include Fortnite and Disney collaboration reveals live from the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, which will stream exclusively in Fortnite on Saturday, August 10 at 7:30 p.m. Arizona Time.
Many players have experienced a mysterious countdown appearing on the Fortnite island as Chapter 5 Season 3 comes to a close.
Since the D23 live fan event will be announcing a special collaboration with Fortnite, it's likely that this countdown is leading up to the live event which will take place exclusively in Fortnite on August 10.
Don't worry if you miss the event, Fortnight will keep the livestream playback on loop until August 16.
Disney is streaming part of its D23 fan event exclusively on Fortnite.
Disney's D23 is the largest fan event held by Disney every year, promising a host of announcements for upcoming movies and other properties while fans can enjoy things like cosplay, contests, panels and other presentations. This year, it runs from Aug. 9-11 in Anaheim, California, right near Disneyland. One of the most unique parts of the event this year is the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, which will be streamed exclusively within Fortnite.
We won't bury the lede here. To view the stream within Fortnite, all you have to do is follow these three steps:
- Launch Fortnite and head to the Battle Royale mode.
- Click the "D23" button that will appear on your screen.
- Sit back and enjoy the show.
That's all you have to do, but if you miss the live presentation, you'll still be able to watch the event as it'll stream on a loop until Aug. 16.
Players who stay on the island for at least 10 minutes during the D23 event will also receive the Peelverine Plush Back Bling, which is Wolverine mixed with a banana. Epic Games says the item isn't exclusive to the event and may be sold later in the game shop, however. The game will also award XP for watching. Rewards will show up on Aug. 16 after the island closes.
According to Epic Games, the Disney Horizons Live event will showcase upcoming collaborations between Fortnite and Disney. This could mean any number of things, including new game modes, skins inspired by Disney characters, additional cosmetics and more. We won't know the exact details until the event happens.
Disney's Fortnite Investment: A Billion-Dollar Bet on the Future
Disney and Epic Games announced a partnership back in February where Disney pledged to invest $1.5 billion into Epic Games to "acquire an equity stake" in the company. At the time, Disney said this would allow Fortnite players to engage more with Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar and other Disney properties.
"Epic Games' industry-leading technology and Fortnite's open ecosystem will help us reach consumers where they are, so they can engage with Disney in the ways that are most relevant to them," said Josh D'Amaro, chair of Disney Experiences.
Disney and Epic Games have both been quiet since the announcement, and nothing has come out of the partnership until now. Given that D'Amaro is the one presenting the Horizons livestream, we're going out on a limb and guessing that this will be our first glimpse into what the Disney-Epic Games partnership is going to bring to Fortnite players.
A Countdown to What? The Imminent Season 3 Finale
After an age without a big finale, Fortnite developer Epic Games is finally planning an end of season event in Battle Royale. With Chapter 5, Season 3 'Wrecked' concluding at 4am BST UK time on August 16, Epic will move things along with an end of season event this weekend. According to the in-game countdown timer, the Wrecked end of season event has an August 10 release date and a 7pm BST UK start time.
While there are no concrete leaks regarding the actual content of the event, the timing is of particular interest, taking place just a few hours before Fortnite will broadcast the upcoming Disney D23 livestream within the game. With exclusive Disney content coming to Fortnite, don't be surprised if the crossover begins during the imminent event.
News of the livestream was confirmed by Epic Games in a recent blog post: "Celebrate the magic of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event! This year includes Fortnite/Disney reveals live from the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase, streaming exclusively in Fortnite.
"Jump into Disney Horizons Live from D23 on August 10 to catch new Fortnite reveals presented live from Josh D'Amaro and a few special guests."
According to Epic Games, the Disney Horizons livestream from D23 will be accessible in Fortnite from 3.30am BST on August 11, while the actual show will begin an hour later at 4.30am BST.
Epic Games will reward users who tune into the event, which will be repeated until August 16.
"If you can’t catch the stream live or just want to rewatch, Disney Horizons Live from D23 will be around until August 16, with the presentation on loop," Epic explains.
"To celebrate the announcements, all players who visit the island for 10 minutes will be granted the Peelverine Plush Back Bling plus XP on August 16."
The Disney-Fortnite Crossover: What Could We See?
In terms of Disney crossovers, insiders like Shiina and Hypex believe that Disney will have its own item shop page within Fortnite.
There are rumours that Avatar is coming to Fortnite, alongside skins and items from the Kingdom Hearts franchise.
That's on top of a potential Darkwing Duck crossover, as well as skins from the Gargoyles animated series.
The previously leaked X-Men skins will also reportedly be announced during D23, including Cyclops, Jubilee and Colossus.
Of course, with the event taking place ahead of the D23 stream, there's a strong possibility it won't have anything to do with the Disney content.
The countdown timer can be found at the Leviathan Pipeline, so don't be surprised if something explosive happens.
According to Shiina, Pandora's Box will return as part of the mini live event, so stay tuned for more information.
A New Chapter, A New Era for Fortnite?
The Fortnite live event was predictably explosive, featuring the return of Pandora's Box, as well as an appearance (sort of) by Doctor Doom. The event ended with Doctor Doom foiling a plan by Megalo Don to lay waste to the island. At the point of explosion, Doctor Doom's logo appeared where the countdown clock could be found, leading to a huge explosion and the return of Pandora's Box. While it wasn't quite on par with the epic events of old, it does set up the next season nicely, which is rumoured to revolve around Marvel. You can watch the event in its entirety below.
ENTIRE FORTNITE SEASON 3 LIVE EVENT ‼️?????? https://t.co/znwiHLZqbm pic.twitter.com/JHrTpQfzvT
The Disney-Fortnite partnership is a major turning point for both companies, signifying the increasing importance of the metaverse in the entertainment industry. As we head into the new season, it's clear that Fortnite will continue to evolve and surprise us with new collaborations and experiences. Whether it's Marvel, Disney, or something else entirely, the future of Fortnite looks bright, and it's one we can't wait to explore.
