Epic Games’ Expanding Empire Meets Trademark Headwinds
Nov/19/2025
Epic Games, the powerhouse behind Fortnite and the Unreal Engine, continues to shape the economics of modern gaming even as it fends off legal challenges to its brand footprint. The company’s sprawling commercial ecosystem—from metaverse-leaning live events to a revenue-friendly digital storefront—now intersects with a trademark dispute over its EPIC GAMES MEGAVERSE mark. According to a UK tribunal decision from November 2025, Epic’s attempt to register EPIC GAMES MEGAVERSE ran into opposition from Megaverse Ltd., whose earlier MEGAVERSE mark was deemed conceptually and aurally similar, particularly because consumers would likely view 'Epic Games' as a house mark and 'Megaverse' as an independent indicator of origin. The ruling found a "medium degree" of similarity and a likelihood of indirect confusion, ultimately denying Epic protection for several key classes of downloadable and virtual-reality software. Still, the legal roadblock contrasts with Epic’s commercial momentum: Fortnite’s live-service model remains a cultural force despite softening engagement, its in-game events push the boundaries of the nascent metaverse, and the Epic Games Store challenges industry pricing norms by taking only a 12 percent revenue cut. Meanwhile, Epic’s engine-licensing and content-distribution revenues continue to grow, helping propel projected gross revenues of roughly $5.8 billion in 2024. Even with ongoing litigation—including its high-profile battle with Apple—the company stands at the center of a gaming economy increasingly shaped by platform power, virtual worlds, and the durability of intellectual property protection.
