Epic Games reportedly pivoting to "AI first" game development model

Epic Games, a software giant, is venturing into incorporating AI into all aspects of game development, as per internal reports. This AI-first strategy is set to be tested in a shooter game being developed in partnership with Disney. However, the project is running behind schedule, and Epic is relying heavily on AI to expedite the process.

The studio's management has instructed developers to avoid manual coding and instead use AI tools like Anthropic's Claude and other chatbots for generating art assets. The AI push extends to creating the game's art entirely using full AI workflows. Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney, has backed this move, stating that the company is undergoing a significant shift to reorganize developers around AI, with the aim of building more and better content.

Despite the enthusiasm, some staff members have expressed skepticism about the approach, joking about correcting AI-generated mistakes and revealing the potential backlash if this strategy doesn't yield the expected results. The Disney shooter collaboration began in 2024, with Disney investing $1.5 billion in Epic to fund multiple gaming projects, making the shooter the first product of this partnership.

The game's delay is attributed to underestimating the manpower and development time required. In March 2026, Epic had to lay off over 1,000 employees amid a decline in Fortnite engagement, suggesting that the AI push might be a last-ditch effort to revitalize the company.