•Epic Games has told developers working on an unannounced shooter featuring Marvel and Star Wars characters to complete the project using an “AI first” production model built around generated art and code, according to a report by Bloomberg. The collaboration with Disney was reportedly due for release in March but has now been delayed indefinitely.
The report cites people familiar with the project alongside an alleged internal message from the game’s director. In it, the director is said to have told staff “no more hand-written code,” adding that all art should be generated using full AI workflows. The developers are reportedly being ordered to make heavier use of Anthropic’s Claude and similar tools.
Epic has in general bet big on generative AI, which Bloomberg notes is central to the next iteration of Unreal Engine—a move that has displeased many game developers. The company already uses such technology to inflate Fortnite character designs into something resembling a 3D model, and has deployed it to voice-act Darth Vader, earning the ire of unions. CEO Tim Sweeney keeps complaining about Valve requiring generative AI disclosures on Steam.
The push toward generative AI comes as Epic’s moneyhorse Fortnite starts to run out of kick. Epic laid off over 1000 people earlier this year, with Sweeney citing a “downturn in Fortnite engagement.” It is the company’s largest layoff wave since it jettisoned 16% of its workforce in 2023.
Disney took out a $1.5 billion stake in Epic this February. A couple of months later, Bloomberg reported that Epic had commissioned a Disney extraction shooter alongside other Disney endeavours. It is not clear whether the extraction shooter is the same project referred to in the new article; the timeframes don’t quite add up on paper, with Bloomberg’s older article claiming the extraction shooter was slated to launch in November.
Epic has neither confirmed nor denied Bloomberg’s account of events, but it sent the outlet a statement seeking to qualify the “AI first” framing. “We’re embracing AI-accelerated development, led by Epic developers who are the visionaries and creative drivers for everything we do,” writes Jake Jones, Epic communications director. Disney have yet to comment at all.
Bloomberg says Epic staff have been joking about prompting Claude to fix its own errors, while others hope management will eventually change its mind or were not being serious in the first place.
We’re embracing AI-accelerated development, led by Epic developers who are the visionaries and creative drivers for everything we do
Jake Jones, Epic communications director
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