Epic Games has delayed its unannounced Disney collaboration shooter and moved the project to an “AI first” production model, Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reported on Monday. The Epic Games AI Disney game, a Marvel and Star Wars shooter previously expected in March, has no new release date.
According to an internal message from one of the game’s directors, staff were told there would be “no more hand-written code”. Artwork for the game will be produced on “full AI workflows”, with Anthropic’s Claude named as one of the tools developers must use.
Epic chief executive Tim Sweeney appeared to confirm the pivot on X. He wrote that “we have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration”. He added: “The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build more and better stuff”. Communications director Jake Jones told Bloomberg the company was embracing “AI-accelerated development”.
This is the first time a major games company has attempted to build a title primarily on AI-assisted workflows. Studios across the industry use AI tools for parts of production, but none has committed a flagship project to AI-first development before.
Why this Epic Games AI Disney game decision matters
The stakes go beyond one game. Epic’s Unreal Engine powers a large share of the industry’s big releases, and Sweeney explicitly tied the pivot to “all teams using Unreal”. If Epic’s experiment works, AI-first pipelines could spread quickly through the engine’s user base.
The business context is uneasy. Disney invested $1.5 billion in Epic in 2024 to build an “entertainment universe” together. Then, in March 2026, Epic cut 1,000 jobs as Fortnite’s figures declined. An AI-driven project that needs fewer developers sits awkwardly beside those cuts, and it feeds the wider industry debate over whether AI-made games will protect jobs or erase them.
There is also a creative question. Push Square’s own report, which carried the Bloomberg story, noted that a Disney shooter sounds like a cash grab even before AI enters the picture. The gaming press will judge the final product on quality, not process.
For readers in Pakistan, the story connects to a wider technology shift. AI is reshaping game development just as it reshapes connectivity and telecom policy at home. Pakistan is finalising its satellite internet framework, with Starlink’s satellite broadband explained in our beginner’s guide, while the industry debates whether the country is rushing its 5G push and the PTA proposes identity checks for foreign SIMs. Epic’s experiment will be watched by developers everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Epic Games AI Disney game?
It is an unannounced extraction shooter featuring Marvel and Star Wars characters, made by Epic Games under its 2024 collaboration with Disney. Epic has delayed it and moved production to an AI-first model.
What does “AI first” mean for the Disney game?
Staff were told there would be “no more hand-written code” and that art would be produced on “full AI workflows”, with Anthropic’s Claude named as one of the required tools. The game is being built primarily with AI-assisted workflows rather than traditional hand-written code.
When will the Epic Disney game release?
Bloomberg reported the game was previously expected in March, but no new launch target has been communicated to the team.
Did Tim Sweeney confirm the AI pivot?
Yes. Sweeney wrote on X about “a huge pivot underway” and “retooling for maximum AI acceleration”, while Epic communications director Jake Jones told Bloomberg the company was embracing “AI-accelerated development”.
