Epic Games goes full AI hoping to catch-up on its Disney partnership’s delay

Author Avatar
By Gaming News
13 October 2026 no comments

Facing delays on its $1.5 billion Disney partnership, Epic Games mandates a full AI pivot


Epic Games and Disney partnered for a massive universe within Fortnite.
Key Takeaways
  • Epic Games has delayed its upcoming Disney collaboration shooter past its original March release date.
  • Management ordered the development team to adopt a full "AI first" production model utilizing tools like Anthropic's Claude.
  • Internal sources cite production delays and staffing miscalculations as primary reasons for the dramatic shift in development strategy.

The Delay and Epic Games' AI Pivot

Epic Games has officially delayed its highly anticipated Disney collaboration, a shooter featuring Marvel and Star Wars characters. The publisher originally slated the title for a March release, but Epic Games has not confirmed a new launch window.

Instead of a standard delay announcement, the developer initiated a drastic shift in production strategy. According to a report from Bloomberg, Epic Games instructed the development team to transition entirely to an "AI first" production model.

Management directed staff to build the game using artificial intelligence tools, specifically mentioning Anthropic's Claude. Human developers will now oversee the AI output rather than generating assets manually.

Why Did Epic Games Delay the Disney Shooter?

Epic Games delayed the Disney shooter because the project fell significantly behind schedule due to misjudged staffing requirements and development timeframes. To compensate for these production hurdles, Epic Games mandated the transition to AI-generated code and art to accelerate the workflow.

Internal communications reveal the severity of the new directive. A game director explicitly told the staff that the project would feature "no more hand-written code" and that all art assets would run through full AI workflows.

Epic Games communications director Jake Jones confirmed the strategy. Jones stated that Epic Games is embracing AI-accelerated development while maintaining that human developers remain the creative drivers behind the project. Disney has not issued an official response regarding the delay or the change in development tools.

Epic Games is the first major studio to attempt building a flagship game primarily with AI tools.

Developer Backlash and the Future of AI in Gaming

The sudden pivot stunned the development team during a video call last week. Epic Games is charting unknown territory, as no other major video game company has attempted to build a flagship title predominantly using artificial intelligence.

The AI mandate follows Disney's massive $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games in 2024. IGN reported that the partnership aimed to create multiple interconnected games, with this shooter acting as the inaugural release.

The broader video game industry remains divided on artificial intelligence. A recent GDC survey revealed that while 36 percent of developers actively use AI in their daily workflows, more than half view the technology as harmful to the industry long-term.

Add AllKeyShop.com as a preferred source on Google

Read this post in:

Share:
Author Avatar

Game Designer raised on metal music and RPGs. I approach gaming news with a cool head. I dissect the technical and narrative aspects without ever forcing it. A relaxed writing style that analyses everything from FPS to RPG.

Download the Allkeyshop Browser Extension Free

For all the latest video game news, trailers, and best deals, make sure to bookmark us. You can find all the best and cheapest online deals on CD keys, game codes, gift cards, and antivirus software from the verified CD key sellers on our store pages.
To not miss any news on Allkeyshop, subscribe on Google News .

MORE RELEVANT ARTICLES