Epic Reportedly Delays Its Disney Video Game So It Can Be Made Using More AI
It’s certainly a choice.
Epic Games relies entirely on AI for game development. The studio is working on games for Disney, but sources said Bloomberg that its upcoming release has been delayed in order to use more AI in its creation. The publication reports that one of the game’s directors informed the team that the project would adopt an “AI first” production plan. “No more hand-written code,” the internal message reads, while ordering that all graphics on the project be “generated with full AI workflows.”
The publication’s sources said this new approach was not universally welcomed by developers, with some employees hoping the request wasn’t entirely serious. However, Epic Games has already introduced numerous generative AI tools into its Unreal Engine platform this year, so the directive seems pretty real. “We embrace AI-accelerated development, led by Epic developers who are the visionaries and creative drivers behind everything we do,” Epic communications director Jake Jones said in a statement to Bloomberg.
Disney announced a massive $1.5 billion investment in Epic in 2024. While several Disney-owned characters appeared as Fortnite skins over the years, this deeper collaboration aimed to create a “universe of games and entertainment”. Earlier this year, it was rumored that the developer’s most promising project for Disney was an extractive shooter Arc Raiders. This game was apparently supposed to launch in November, although BloombergThe latest AI report indicated that the date had been pushed back to March before the new AI mission was even given.
According to GDC’s annual survey, a growing number of developers view AI generation as bad for the business. In this year’s survey, 52% said the technology was bad for the industry, up from 30% in 2025. The survey also found that while many in gaming use build AI tools, it’s primarily for tasks like research and programming rather than creating assets.
