Sony and Lego inject $2bn into video games maker Epic

Epic said it is making a “digital experience for kids of all ages” with Lego.

Mon, 11 Apr, 2022 - 15:38

Cecilia D'Anastasio

Sony and the owner of the Lego Group invested $2bn (€1.83bn) in Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite.

Epic is valued at $31.5bn after the investment, the North Carolina-based company said in a statement. The company’s valuation about a year ago was $28.7bn.

The video game maker, among the five most valuable start-ups in the US, is currently waging a costly legal battle with Apple and Google-owner Alphabet over fees charged by app stores.

Sony, which works with Epic on the PlayStation and already owned a stake in the company, and Kirkbi, the family-owned holdings company behind the Lego toy brand, each invested $1bn in the deal.

All three companies highly value both creators and players, and aim to create new social entertainment exploring the connection between digital and physical worlds,” according to the statement.

Last week, Epic said it is making a “digital experience for kids of all ages” with Lego.

Details on the virtual experience remain sparse, but Epic and Lego had emphasised it would be a “safe and positive space” for kids to play online.

Epic’s digital video game storefront currently sells Lego’s video games, including the Lego Batman series.

Bloomberg