Epic Games has indefinitely delayed its unannounced Marvel and Star Wars shooter with Disney. The company instructed developers to adopt an 'AI-first' model using Anthropic's Claude, replacing hand-written code and art.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Epic Games has delayed an unannounced shooter featuring Marvel and Star Wars characters, developed in collaboration with Walt Disney. The project, which had been scheduled for release in March 2027, now has no new release date. According to Bloomberg, development lagged behind schedule because Epic misjudged the headcount and timeline required.
In an internal message reviewed by Bloomberg, a project director informed staff that there would be "no more hand-written code" and that the game's artwork would be "generated with full AI workflows." Developers were instructed to use Anthropic's Claude as part of this new approach, with humans managing and guiding the AI's output.
Jake Jones, communications director at Epic Games, confirmed the shift in a statement to Bloomberg: "We're embracing AI-accelerated development, led by Epic developers who are the visionaries and creative drivers for everything we do."
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney also addressed the change, stating, "we are undertaking a major strategic redirection, reorganizing our developers to prepare for maximum acceleration in the AI field." Bloomberg described this as the first attempt by a major video-game company to build a title using AI as the primary foundation of its development pipeline.
The news, shared during a video call, reportedly came as a shock to many developers on the team. Staff questioned how errors in AI-generated work would be handled and expressed doubt that the initiative would succeed. Some internal jokes imagined workers having to ask Claude to fix errors it made in responses.
This delay follows significant workforce reductions at Epic. The company cut 1,000 jobs earlier this year, citing in part slower Fortnite sales. Sweeney acknowledged that declining Fortnite engagement left Epic spending substantially more than it earned.
The partnership with Disney began in 2024, when Disney invested $1.5 billion in Epic in exchange for an equity stake. The two companies agreed to a partnership set to begin with this shooting title. A Disney spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
The move highlights growing tensions around generative AI in the gaming industry. A survey cited by Bloomberg found that more than one-third of game developers use AI in their work, but more than half believe the technology is harmful to the industry. Games featuring AI-generated content have faced backlash from players who argue the output is of lesser quality.
Epic Games' decision to mandate an "AI-first" workflow for a major AAA title marks a significant test case for generative AI in high-budget game development. By replacing hand-written code and traditional art pipelines with AI tools like Claude, Epic is betting that AI can accelerate production despite widespread skepticism from developers and players about quality and originality. The indefinite delay of the Disney collaboration underscores the challenges of integrating these new technologies into established development schedules.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
The day's checked news, by email
One short email a day with the top stories. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
Or follow for the latest news:
GamingTrending
Analyst firm Alinea estimates Gears of War: E-Day sold 230,000 premium copies while 1.7 million players accessed it via Game Pass. Analysts debate the impact of subscription models on direct sales.
CD Projekt Red released The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered on September 29, 2026, free for existing owners on most platforms, with new visuals, reworked combat and mod support.
