Sony is investing a further $1 billion in Fortnite publisher Epic Games. The investment is intended to deepen Sony’s investment in the metaverse, adding to the $450 million it invested in Epic Games last year.CEO of Sony Group Corporation Kenichiro Yoshida said: “As a creative entertainment company, we are thrilled to invest in Epic to deepen our relationship in the metaverse field, a space where creators and users share their time.The Best PS5 Games”We are also confident that Epic’s expertise, including their powerful game engine, combined with Sony’s technologies, will accelerate our various efforts such as the development of new digital fan experiences in sports and our virtual production initiatives.”Epic Games CEO and founder Tim Sweeney added: “As we reimagine the future of entertainment and play we need partners who share our vision. We have found this in our partnership with Sony and KIRKBI.”This investment will accelerate our work to build the metaverse and create spaces where players can have fun with friends, brands can build creative and immersive experiences and creators can build a community and thrive.”KIRKBI, the company behind LEGO, also invested $1 billion, just days after Epic Games and The LEGO Group announced a new collaboration to create a child-friendly space within the metaverse.Epic Games announced its intentions in the metaverse last April when Sony made its initial investment of $200 million, saying it wanted to expand the social experiences in its games while supporting the people that make them.The metaverse it hopes to create, which is being supported with these billion dollar investments from Sony and KIRKBI, revolves around interconnectivity. Sweeney has said previously that he hopes to see major tech forms begin to share the digital space more and more to create a fluid online experience for its consumers.His company isn’t the only gaming giant to invest in the metaverse though, as PUBG: Battlegrounds developer Krafton recently partnered with other tech firms to create its own NFT-based version while Bandai Namco is to spend $130 on its “IP metaverse”.Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
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