Epic Games is the company behind the blockbuster video game Fortnite, which is among the world's most popular games, with more than 650 million active accounts. But the company's epic hit game isn't the only thing going for the game maker. Epic also developed the Unreal Engine, which drives many of the world's leading games.
Several industries utilize the technology, including films and television, architecture, automotive, manufacturing, and simulation. The Unreal Engine also drives the company's Epic Games Store and Epic Online services. This integrated platform enables developers and creators to build, distribute, and operate games and other digital content.
The company's uber-popular game and gaming engine generate epic amounts of revenue. You might even be among the millions who have spent money on the company's platform. That commercial relationship could have you wondering how to invest in the company and get a slice of its upside potential. Here's a look at how to invest in Epic Games and some factors to consider before doing so.
Publicly traded?
Is Epic Games publicly traded?
As of late 2024, Epic Games had not completed an initial public offering (IPO). Because it isn't publicly traded, investors can't buy the company's shares on a stock exchange with their brokerage account.
Publicly Traded Company
Who owns it?
Who owns Epic Games?
Epic Games is a privately held company owned by:
- Tim Sweeney: Founder and CEO Tim Sweeney owns about half of Epic Games' stock.
- Tencent (OTC:TCEHY): The Chinese technology and entertainment company holds about 40% of Epic Games stock.
- Sony (NYSE:SONY): The Japanese entertainment company has about a 4.9% stake in Epic Games.
- Kirkbi: The holding company that owns The Lego Group has a 3% interest in Epic Games.
- Disney (DIS -0.28%): In 2024, Disney invested $1.5 billion to acquire an equity stake in Epic Games (about 9%). As part of the agreement, Disney and Epic will collaborate on an all-new games and entertainment universe.
Will it IPO?
Will Epic Games IPO?
As of late 2024, Epic Games didn't have an IPO on the calendar. Yet, there has been speculation since 2021 that the company would complete one. However, with the capital provided by its strategic investors, including bringing Disney into the fold in early 2024, Epic Games doesn't need to raise money, reducing the need to go public.
How to invest
How to invest in Epic Games
You can't invest directly in Epic Games until it launches an IPO. However, you can get some exposure to the company's upside by investing in one of the three publicly traded companies that own shares: Tencent, Sony, and Disney.
Chinese tech and entertainment titan Tencent trades on the OTC market, enabling anyone to buy shares through their brokerage account. Global technology and entertainment behemoth Sony trades on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Entertainment, sports, and experiences giant Disney also trades on the NYSE.
Over-the-Counter (OTC)
Given that it holds 40% of the company's shares, Tencent has the most exposure to Epic. However, that's a small piece of its massive communications, digital content, and financial technology (fintech) services platform. Tencent has invested in more than 800 companies, including the Chinese super app WeChat.
Likewise, Epic is a small part of Sony's empire. The company is one of the largest makers of electronic products, the top video game console producer (PlayStation), and the biggest video game publisher. Sony Entertainment is also one of the biggest music publishers, a leading record label, and a top film studio.
Finally, Disney now owns a stake in Epic after investing $1.5 billion in the gaming company in 2024. An investment in Disney involves not only gaming but also sports, entertainment, and experiences. For people who really want to own a small slice of Epic Games, Tencent, Sony, or Disney are currently the only way to gain exposure to the company until it completes an IPO.
Alternatives
Alternatives to investing in Epic Games
Another option to consider is investing in a different video game stock. Alternatives include:
- Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ:TTWO): Take-Two Interactive developed the hit game franchises Grand Theft Auto, NBA 2K, and Red Dead Redemption.
- Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA): EA is the company behind leading sports franchises Madden and FIFA.
- Roblox (NYSE:RBLX): Roblox's online platform and storefront enable users to play games developed by other users.
Should I invest?
Should I invest in Epic Games?
Although you can't invest in Epic Games yet, here are some factors to consider before doing so should the company launch an IPO in the future.
Profitability
Is Epic Games profitable?
Because Epic Games is a private company, there is little publicly available information about its finances. However, according to documents released by Apple (AAPL -0.17%) relating to a legal battle to get Fortnite on the App Store, Epic Games isn't yet profitable. The company reportedly lost between $100 million and $200 million annually from 2019 through 2021.
As of late 2024, its Epic Games Store was still losing money, as it focused on growth in an attempt to grab market share from Apple and Alphabet (GOOG 0.46%)(GOOGL 0.53%). Epic reportedly lost an estimated $1 billion in revenue during its battle with Apple when it wasn't allowed on its app store. According to CEO Tim Sweeney, the fight also cost hundreds of millions in legal fees.
It's common for growing technology companies to lose money. They're typically investing heavily in new products. In Epic's case, it's investing in expanding its Epic Games Store and developing new games.
Revenue
According to Statista, Epic Games was on track to generate $5.8 billion in revenue in 2024. Statista predicts that Epic Games revenue will reach $6.2 billion by 2026.
That's a lot of money, more than some of the competing publicly traded gaming companies. For example, Roblox was on pace to generate more than $3.5 billion in revenue in 2024. Meanwhile, its sales rival Take-Two Interactive, which expects to generate $5.6 billion to $5.7 billion in its 2025 fiscal year. However, EA had much higher sales at $7.1 billion to $7.5 billion of total net revenue in its 2025 fiscal year.
Valuation
Epic Games raised $1.5 billion in additional funding in early 2024 when Disney invested $1.5 billion in the company to build a universe based on Disney characters. That investment valued Epic Games at $22.5 billion, a notable step down from its prior valuation of $31.5 billion.
To put the company's private market value into some context, it's less than many other publicly traded game makers. At a market cap of almost $43 billion in late 2024, EA was the most valuable. Meanwhile, Roblox had an almost $40 billion market value, and Take-Two's market valuation topped $33 billion.
Related investing topics
The bottom line on investing in Epic Games
You can't buy shares of Epic Games yet because it hasn't completed an IPO. However, you can gain exposure to the company by investing in one of its major shareholders.
You could also invest in the upside of the video game industry through another game maker. The alternative options could enable you to make money investing in the gaming market until Epic launches what would likely be an epic IPO, given the popularity of Fortnite and its Unreal Engine.
FAQ
Investing in Epic Games FAQ
Has Epic Games completed an IPO?
As of late 2024, Epic Games had not yet completed an IPO and didn't have one on the calendar.
Why should I invest in Epic Games?
You should consider investing in Epic Games if you believe the company can deliver market-beating performance driven by its popular games and gaming engine.
What company owns Epic Games?
Epic Games is a privately owned company. CEO Tim Sweeney owned about half of its shares, while Chinese technology and entertainment holding company Tencent held a 40% stake in the game maker. In addition, Sony, Kirkbi (the holding company that owns the Lego Group), and Disney held minority interests in Epic Games.
Can I invest in Epic Games?
As of late 2024, you could not invest in Epic Games because it wasn't a publicly traded company. However, you can invest in a company that has invested in Epic Games (Sony, Tencent, or Disney) to get some exposure to its upside potential.
