Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has outlined the company's next major initiatives, which involve developing the next-generation Unreal Engine 6 as a key component of its broader Metaverse strategy.
Epic's Vision for a Fortnite and Roblox Metaverse Alongside Unreal Engine 6
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney Envisions an Interconnected Metaverse with Shared Economy
During an interview with The Verge, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney unveiled the company's ambitious new project. Sweeney described plans for an interoperable metaverse that would leverage the marketplace and assets from major Unreal Engine-powered games like Fortnite and Roblox, along with other Unreal Engine titles and related initiatives.
Sweeney told The Verge that Epic now has the financial resources to implement these plans throughout the current decade. "We possess substantial funding compared to most industry players and are making strategic forward investments that we can adjust based on our financial performance," he explained. "We believe we're ideally positioned to execute our plans through this decade and accomplish all our goals at our current scale."
Epic's upcoming strategy will involve combining its high-end development tools, Unreal Engine, with the Unreal Editor for Fortnite—essentially creating what could be described as a comprehensive Unreal Engine 6 that integrates both systems, a development Epic aims to achieve within several years. "The true potential will emerge when we merge these two environments, combining the full capability of our advanced game engine with the user-friendly approach we've developed in [Unreal Editor for Fortnite]," Sweeney said. "This integration will take several years to complete, and the result will be Unreal Engine 6."
According to Sweeney, the planned Unreal Engine 6 will enable developers—from major studios to independent creators—to "build an application once and deploy it as a standalone game across any platform," creating opportunities for an interoperable metaverse that utilizes this content and technological foundation.
Sweeney elaborated further: "We've announced our collaboration with Disney to build their own ecosystem that seamlessly connects with the Fortnite ecosystem. What we're discussing with Unreal Engine 6 is the underlying technology that will make this possible for everyone—from AAA developers to indie creators to Fortnite builders—all achieving similar interoperability."
However, Sweeney noted that they haven't yet begun "such discussions" with Roblox and Minecraft's owner Microsoft, "but we plan to initiate them over time." He explained the rationale behind this approach: "The fundamental concept is that players are increasingly drawn to games where they can play with all their friends, and they're more willing to spend on digital items in games they expect to play long-term," Sweeney said, describing a revenue-sharing model he hopes to promote.
"When you're just casually trying out a game, why would you purchase an item you'll never use again? An interconnected economy would enhance player confidence that today's digital purchases represent long-term ownership, with compatibility across all their gaming environments."
Epic EVP Saxs Persson echoed this vision: "There's no technical barrier preventing a federated system that allows movement between Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite. From our perspective, this would be incredible because it keeps communities connected while allowing the best ecosystem to thrive."
"We're not inventing something entirely new—we're expanding on what we've already established in Fortnite. Essentially, we're reinforcing strategies that have proven successful," Persson remarked in an earlier Verge interview where executives discussed the practical implementation of this metaverse concept.
Persson added: "When you play with friends and have more options, you stay engaged longer, play more frequently, and enjoy your experience more. The equation is quite straightforward." As Sweeney summarized: "In the gaming industry, there are sufficient ecosystems and publishers with their own platforms that no single company can completely dominate the entire space, unlike what occurred in the smartphone market."
