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Epic's Disney shooter is delayed as its developers are told to go AI-first
Bloomberg reports a sweeping change to code and art production on an unannounced Marvel and Star Wars shooter. Tim Sweeney says Epic is reorganizing around AI-accelerated development.
Reporting updated Oct 13, 2026
THE TAKEAWAY
Epic Games has reportedly delayed an unannounced Disney shooter while directing its developers to use AI-generated code and artwork. CEO Tim Sweeney has separately confirmed a broader reorganization intended to accelerate development across Epic and Unreal Engine.
WHAT HAPPENED
Epic Games is trying a very different way of making a major video game. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, the company has delayed an unannounced shooter featuring Marvel and Star Wars characters. The project had been targeting March 2027; no new release date has been communicated.
Developers on the project were reportedly instructed to adopt an AI-first production model. An internal message reviewed by Bloomberg called for no more hand-written code and artwork generated through AI workflows. Anthropic's Claude was among the tools named. Human developers would direct, manage and refine the output.
The change follows slower-than-expected development and underestimated staffing needs, according to the report. Some employees questioned whether AI-generated work could be reliably reviewed and corrected. The directive is a plan, not evidence that an entire game has already been built this way.
Epic's public response emphasizes that its developers remain the creative drivers. On X, CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed a larger shift: teams are being reorganized to make greater use of AI, with the intention of building more ambitious work and sharing improvements with Unreal Engine developers.
Disney and Epic announced a $1.5 billion investment and collaboration in 2024 to build connected entertainment experiences powered by Unreal Engine. Neither company has publicly shown gameplay from this reported shooter.
WHY IT MATTERS
Epic makes Unreal Engine, a foundation for games, virtual production and real-time 3D work across the industry. A major shift in how Epic itself builds games could influence the tools and expectations of many other teams.
The creative question is not whether AI can write a function or generate a texture. It is whether artists, designers and engineers can keep a complex game coherent when generation becomes the starting point for much of its code and art. Gameplay feel, visual consistency, debugging and performance still require experienced judgment.
Sweeney believes faster iteration will let developers reach playable tests earlier. That is an appealing goal, particularly when a project is already behind schedule. But the finished game, its quality and any productivity gains remain unproven.
For now, the important news is the decision: one of the industry's most influential engine companies is placing AI at the center of a high-profile development effort.
WHAT IS CHANGING
The game
Bloomberg reports that an unannounced Marvel and Star Wars shooter has slipped beyond its original March 2027 target.
The code
Developers were reportedly told to have AI tools such as Claude produce code, with people directing and reviewing the work.
The art
The reported plan also calls for AI-driven art workflows, with human creative direction and finishing.
The bigger pivot
Sweeney says Epic is reorganizing developers and wants the benefits to reach other Unreal Engine teams.
“No more hand-written code.” — Internal project direction reported by Bloomberg
VEYR ANGLE
Imagine testing a new combat mechanic before lunch, changing a level in the afternoon and having the engine help rebuild the pieces around it. That would give creators more room to experiment.
But the real measure will be whether the resulting games feel better to play, look more intentional and let developers make stronger creative decisions. Epic's experiment is important enough that the industry will watch both the tools and the finished work.
