Epic Games is reportedly moving to an AI-first development strategy, according to internal communications obtained by Bloomberg. The shift would have developers oversee code and visual assets produced by large language and image models, reducing reliance on traditional hand-crafted programming and artwork.
The new workflow would task human staff with guiding and refining outputs from systems such as Anthropic’s Claude. Epic’s internal brief indicated a complete transition away from manually written code, while art pipelines would run entirely through AI-driven processes, a change that marks a significant departure from past practices.
The pivot coincides with a slowdown in the $1.5 billion partnership between Epic and Disney that was announced in early 2024. The collaboration aimed to launch a Marvel- and Star Wars-themed shooter in March 2027, but the project has now been postponed indefinitely amid staffing shortfalls and the ongoing AI transition.
"We’re embracing AI-accelerated development, led by Epic developers who are the visionaries and creative drivers for everything we do," an Epic spokesperson said in a statement, emphasizing the company’s confidence in the new model.
The AI shift follows a recent mishap in which an AI-generated Darth Vader voice added to Fortnite began uttering profanity and odd statements, prompting a rapid hotfix. The incident highlighted the challenges of integrating generative models into live game environments.
A survey of more than 2,300 game-industry professionals conducted ahead of this year’s Game Developers Conference found that 36 percent had incorporated generative AI tools into their work. Among studio employees, 30 percent reported usage, primarily for research and brainstorming (81 percent), with lower adoption for code assistance (47 percent) and prototyping (35 percent).