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Epic Delays Disney Shooter as It Pushes an “AI First” Development Model
Epic Games has reportedly delayed its Marvel and Star Wars shooter for Disney and told developers to build it with AI first, with no more hand-written code, according to Bloomberg.
Epic Games has reportedly delayed a Disney-licensed shooter so its developers can build it with far more AI, and it has told staff to move to an "AI first" production model. The report comes from Bloomberg, which cites unnamed sources. Epic has not confirmed the delay, but it has confirmed it is pushing hard toward AI-accelerated development.
What happened
Bloomberg reports that the project, widely described as a Marvel and Star Wars crossover shooter, was originally due in March 2027 and has now slipped. The report says a director told the team the game would follow an "AI first" plan, that there would be "no more hand-written code," and that all art would be generated with full AI workflows. Some developers reportedly hoped the directive was not serious.
Epic's Communications Director, Jake Jones, gave a statement on the topic: "We're embracing AI-accelerated development, led by Epic developers." Tim Sweeney also posted on X that the company has "a huge pivot underway here at Epic," moving developers around to retool for AI.
Key details
- Developer: Epic Games
- Project: Disney-licensed shooter featuring Marvel and Star Wars characters, reported to be an extraction shooter (reported, not confirmed)
- Original release: March 2027, per the latest Bloomberg report
- New release date: Not announced
- Platforms: Not stated
- Context: Disney invested $1.5 billion in Epic in 2024 to build a games and entertainment universe
What is still unconfirmed
Epic has not announced a new release date and has not named the game. Disney did not comment in the report. The claims about hand-written code and fully AI-generated art come from Bloomberg's sources and have not been confirmed by Epic. Reports also say the delay may not be caused by the AI directive alone, since the March date was reported before the directive.
What it means for developers
- AI is becoming a production policy, not a side tool. When a studio of Epic's size mandates AI-first workflows, it signals that AI-assisted pipelines will be expected in more projects.
- Expect pressure around toolchains. If engines and middleware add AI features quickly, teams that already know those tools will have an edge.
- Plan for team morale and process. Reports say some developers were unhappy with the directive. Clear communication and realistic scope matter more when workflows change fast.
- Watch the quality bar. A faster pipeline still has to deliver the game players expect, so check AI output carefully for art, code and design decisions.
- Track the official word. Most of this is still reported, not announced. Wait for Epic or Disney before treating these details as settled.
