Epic CEO says connecting game economies is industry's only hope
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Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney argues that connecting virtual economies across games is the only viable path for new titles to succeed in a market dominated by a few massive platforms like Fortnite and Roblox. He points to Metcalfe's Law and winner-takes-all dynamics as structural barriers, and proposes interoperable in-game items and cross-game economies as the solution. Sweeney envisions a shared economy where cosmetics and assets earned in one game can transfer to others, even across competing studios. This vision is tied to Unreal Engine 6, expected in early access in late 2027, which will introduce a new Verse-based framework with interoperability as a core feature. He also called on major players — Xbox, Roblox, Riot, Tencent, EA — to collaborate on connecting their ecosystems, framing it as mutually beneficial for revenue and player satisfaction.
