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Epic Games reportedly moves Disney shooter to "AI first" development, delaying it

Bloomberg reports Epic Games is switching its Disney-partnered Marvel/Star Wars shooter to an "AI first" workflow with no hand-written code, and the game is delayed. Epic confirmed it is embracing AI-accelerated development.

2 outlets · 2L · 0C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Ars Technica
Image: The A.V. Club

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The story, neutrally told

Left · 2Epic Games is shifting to an "AI first" development approach for its collaboration with Disney, according to a Bloomberg report relayed by Ars Technica and The A.V. Club. Left · 2Internal messages seen by Bloomberg reportedly say there will be "no more hand-written code" and that art assets will be "generated with full AI workflows", with human developers managing and guiding output from models such as Anthropic's Claude. Left · 1The Marvel- and Star Wars-themed shooter had been slated for March 2027 under a $1.5 billion Epic–Disney collaboration announced in early 2024, and is now delayed indefinitely amid understaffing and slower-than-expected progress, per the report.

Left · 1The A.V. Club says Bloomberg reported Epic underestimated how many people the game would need, and that employees were reportedly "stunned" by the announcement. Left · 1An Epic spokesperson said, "We’re embracing AI-accelerated development, led by Epic developers who are the visionaries and creative drivers for everything we do." Left · 1CEO Tim Sweeney wrote on social media that Epic has "a huge pivot underway" to retool developers for AI acceleration, and that the aim is to let staff build more and better rather than do the same with fewer people.

Left · 2Epic laid off over 1,000 employees in March, citing a "downturn in Fortnite engagement"; Disney did not comment in Bloomberg's report. Left · 1Sweeney has long been bullish on AI in games; he said last November that AI disclosure tags like Steam's "make no sense", and a pre-GDC survey found 36 percent of 2,300 industry professionals used generative AI, mostly for research and brainstorming rather than code.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left2 outlets

Framing
Both outlets relay Bloomberg's report; The A.V. Club frames it as a self-inflicted problem after layoffs and stresses staff dismay, while Ars Technica gives a more detailed, context-heavy account including Sweeney's AI record.
Emphasis
Layoffs, employee reaction, delay, Sweeney's statements and industry AI-usage data.
Leaves out or plays down
Neither outlet has independent sourcing beyond Bloomberg; Disney's view is absent.
Charged language
“in a bit of a pickle”“sick joke”
For example
“It seems as though Epic Games has gotten itself in a bit of a pickle.” — The A.V. Club
“Sweeney and Epic have long been bullish on what they see as an impending game development revolution spurred by AI.” — Ars Technica

Centre0 outlets

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Right0 outlets

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