Epic Games Reportedly Delays Disney Game to Adopt AI First Development

Epic Pushes AI First Production on Disney Project

Epic Games has delayed its upcoming Disney video game so the title can be created with more artificial intelligence, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter. One of the game's directors reportedly informed the team that the project would adopt an "AI first" production plan.

An internal message stated "No more hand-written code" and ordered all art for the project to be "generated with full AI workflows," the publication reported. The sources said the new approach was not universally well received by developers, with some employees allegedly hoping the request was not entirely serious.

Epic Embraces AI Accelerated Development

Epic has been pushing generative AI tools into its Unreal Engine platform throughout this year, which suggests the directive is genuine. "We're embracing AI-accelerated development, led by Epic developers who are the visionaries and creative drivers for everything we do," Epic Communications Director Jake Jones said in a statement to Bloomberg.

Disney Partnership and Shifting Release Plans

Disney announced a $1.5 billion investment in Epic in 2024. While several Disney-owned characters have appeared as Fortnite skins over the years, the deeper collaboration was aimed at creating a "games and entertainment universe." Earlier this year, rumors indicated that Epic's most promising Disney project was an extraction shooter in the style of Arc Raiders. That game was purportedly due to launch in November, though Bloomberg reported the date had already been pushed back to March before the new AI directive was issued.

Industry Skepticism Toward Generative AI

According to GDC's annual survey, a growing number of developers view generative AI as harmful to the business. Fifty-two percent said the technology was bad for the industry in this year's survey, up from 30 percent in 2025. The survey also found that while many in gaming do use generative AI tools, it is primarily for tasks such as research and programming rather than asset creation.

Sources: engadget.com · techmeme.com