Epic Goes AI-First on Disney Shooter, Says "No More Hand-Written Code" in Major Development Shift

Epic Games is taking its AI ambitions to a whole new level, and its upcoming Disney game is at the center of it. The Fortnite maker has delayed its unannounced Marvel and Star Wars shooter while shifting development toward an AI-first production model. The game no longer has a confirmed release date.

Epic Games wants AI to handle code and artwork

According to Bloomberg’s exclusive report, developers working on the shooter were instructed to use AI tools such as Anthropic’s Claude. An internal message reviewed by Bloomberg reportedly told staff there would be “no more hand-written code.”

The same directive reportedly calls for artwork to be generated through full AI workflows. Human developers will manage and guide the AI-generated output instead of creating everything manually. The game was originally targeting a March 2027 release. However, it has now been delayed indefinitely, with no new launch date communicated to the team.

The news outlet further reports that development was already progressing more slowly than expected, partly because Epic underestimated the staffing and time required.

Epic says developers will remain in control

Epic has publicly acknowledged its push toward AI-accelerated development. A company spokesperson told Bloomberg that Epic developers will remain the creative drivers behind the work. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney also confirmed the shift in a post on X. He said the company was moving developers around to maximize AI acceleration across its operations. Sweeney argued that the goal was not simply to produce the same output with fewer people. Instead, he wants teams to build more and better products using AI tools.

We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.

Disney’s $1.5 billion partnership faces a major test

Disney invested $1.5 billion in Epic Games in 2024, alongside a broader partnership to build new entertainment experiences. The delayed shooter, featuring Marvel and Star Wars characters, was expected to be a major part of that collaboration. However, Epic cut around 1,000 jobs earlier in 2026, citing weaker Fortnite engagement and other business pressures. However, Epic has not said the AI-first change will result in further layoffs.