Report says Epic is making AI write code for its Disney shooter

In short: A report says Epic Games will rely on AI tools to generate most of the code and art for its Disney game, and the project is now delayed.

What happened

Epic Games is reportedly shifting to an “AI first” development plan for its collaboration with the Walt Disney Company. According to Bloomberg, Epic has told staff to use AI models (computer programs that can generate text, images, and more) to create the game’s software code and to guide the creation of art.

The report says human developers will move into a supervisor role. Instead of writing code by hand, they would review and steer AI-made code and AI-made art assets (things like character models, textures, and other building blocks). Bloomberg cited internal employee messages that described “no more hand-written code” and art made through “full AI workflows” (a step-by-step pipeline where AI does most of the producing).

This work is part of Epic and Disney’s $1.5 billion collaboration, announced in early 2024. The project reportedly included a Marvel and Star Wars themed shooter planned for March 2027, but Bloomberg says the game has been delayed indefinitely during the shift, with the project also described as understaffed and slower than expected.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said on social media that Epic is moving people around to “retool” for more AI use. Epic also said the goal is to help teams build more, not simply to replace people.

Why it matters

This is a high-profile test of how far big studios will go with AI in game making. For players, it could affect timelines and quality, since using AI like this is closer to having a fast junior assistant that still needs close checking than a fully independent creator.

Source: Arstechnica