Epic Games shifts to AI‑first development for Disney shooter, project delayed

Epic Games adopts AI‑first strategy Epic Games has announced a major change in its development approach for the collaborative shooter it is creating with Disney. Internal messages, reported by Bloomberg and viewed by the outlet, indicate that the studio will rely on artificial‑intelligence models such as Anthropic’s Claude to generate both code and visual assets. Human staff are expected to supervise and direct the AI‑produced output rather than write code or create artwork manually.

Impact on the Marvel‑Star Wars project The partnership, valued at roughly $1.5 billion and unveiled in early 2024, was originally slated to launch a Marvel‑ and Star Wars‑themed shooter in March 2027. The shift to an AI‑centric workflow has coincided with a slowdown in development, leading the project to be postponed without a new release date. Sources familiar with the effort described the delay as indefinite, attributing it to the reallocation of resources toward the AI transition and a slower‑than‑expected development pace.

Company statements on the pivot An Epic spokesperson confirmed that the studio is embracing AI‑accelerated development, describing the technology as a tool that will allow developers to focus on creative direction while the AI handles routine production tasks. The company’s chief executive, Tim Sweeney, posted on social media that the reorganisation aims to enable the team to produce more and higher‑quality content, rather than simply reducing staff numbers.

Industry context The move reflects a broader trend in the gaming industry toward integrating generative AI into production pipelines. By allowing AI models to write code and generate art, Epic hopes to speed up development cycles and reduce reliance on traditional hand‑crafted processes. However, the indefinite postponement of the Disney shooter highlights the challenges of implementing such technology at scale, especially for large, narrative‑driven titles.

Outlook While Epic’s AI‑first approach signals a significant strategic shift, the future timeline for the Marvel‑Star Wars shooter remains uncertain. Observers will be watching how the company balances AI automation with the creative demands of high‑profile licensed properties, and whether the promised efficiencies translate into successful releases.