Fortnite Studio Buys This Digital Human Company

Published: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 4:51 pm

Fortnite Maker Epic Games Acquires Digital Human Company Meshcapade

Epic Games, the company behind the popular game Fortnite and the Unreal Engine, has announced the acquisition of Meshcapade, a digital human technology company. The financial details of the deal remain undisclosed.

Meshcapade specializes in AI-powered technology that generates 3D motion and body shape data from video footage. The company claims its AI can transform various movements, from subtle gestures to dynamic actions, into high-fidelity 3D data ready for immediate use. This technology is designed to streamline the creation of digital humans, making the process easier, more expressive, and more accessible for creators.

A key advantage of Meshcapade's technology is its ability to model 3D human motion directly from standard videos. This approach is reportedly more cost-effective and faster than traditional methods. The company's founders noted that they gained new clients through word-of-mouth, with their booth at industry events becoming a popular attraction for animators from major game and film studios.

Meshcapade originated from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Germany. The institute's president highlighted the rapid translation of basic research into practical applications with global impact. As part of the acquisition, Meshcapade's developers will join Epic Games. Epic Games will also establish a new office in Tübingen, marking its first operation in Cyber Valley. This move is seen as a signal of the potential for "AI Made in Germany" to compete globally. Epic's chief technology officer emphasized that the acquisition will provide creators in gaming, film, and virtual production with specialized tools for developing digital humans.

BNN's Perspective: This acquisition underscores the growing importance of digital human technology across various creative industries. While the specific financial terms are unknown, the move signals Epic Games' commitment to advancing its capabilities in this area. The integration of Meshcapade's technology could lead to more realistic and accessible digital characters, potentially impacting the future of gaming, film, and virtual production. The deal also highlights the increasing role of AI and machine learning in content creation.

Keywords: Epic Games, Fortnite, Meshcapade, digital humans, AI, 3D motion capture, acquisition, Unreal Engine, gaming, film, virtual production, machine learning, technology, Cyber Valley, Germany

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