Epic reportedly delays Disney game amid AI-first push

Epic Games has reportedly delayed its upcoming Disney game while directing developers toward AI-generated code and art. The change was reported by Bloomberg and subsequently covered by GameDev.net, which said the project had been targeting March but now has no replacement release date.

The reported instructions go beyond giving programmers an optional coding assistant. An internal message reviewed by Bloomberg told staff, “No more hand-written code,” according to GameDev.net's account. The same account described a shift toward AI tools, including Anthropic's Claude, with people supervising the output, and AI workflows for artwork. These are reported internal directions; Newsah has not reviewed the message itself.

Epic's public response has emphasized the developers' continuing role. Ars Technica reported an Epic spokesperson's statement supporting AI-accelerated development led by the company's own developers. It also reproduced a social media post from chief executive Tim Sweeney describing teams being reorganized to use AI more extensively. Sweeney said the aim was to help staff build more and better work rather than simply produce the same work with fewer people.

The project sits within a broader partnership announced on February 7, 2024. Epic and Disney said they would build a persistent games and entertainment universe connected to Fortnite, alongside Disney's planned $1.5 billion investment for an equity stake in Epic. The companies described a multiyear collaboration powered by Unreal Engine.

That original announcement outlined experiences involving Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and Avatar. It envisaged users playing, watching, shopping and interacting with stories and characters, as well as creating and sharing their own experiences. The announcement described a broader collaboration rather than just one standalone shooter.

The available statements do not establish that AI alone caused the delay, that human developers are being eliminated, or that every Epic project is subject to an identical ban on manual coding.

Disclosure: Newsah's editorial process uses OpenAI's Codex models.