Epic Games reportedly delays Star Wars and Marvel shooter, as the Fortnite maker embraces “AI-accelerated development”

Epic Games has delayed an unannounced shooter collaboration with Disney featuring characters from both the Marvel and Star Wars universes. The game was originally scheduled for release in March 2027 but now has no confirmed launch date.

The delay accompanies a major shift in development methodology. According to Bloomberg, Epic Games has instructed developers to adopt an “AI-first” production model for the remainder of development, utilizing generative AI tools such as Anthropic’s Claude with human oversight. In an internal message obtained by Bloomberg, one of the game’s directors stated “No more hand-written code” and specified that all art assets would be “generated with full AI workflows.”

This pivot reflects Epic Games’ broader strategy to integrate AI-accelerated development into its operations. The company’s leadership has actively promoted generative AI in game creation, with CEO Tim Sweeney previously endorsing AI tools while criticizing Steam’s mandatory AI disclosure requirements. The shift aligns with Epic’s efforts to deepen AI integration within Unreal Engine and broader development workflows.

Reports indicate the internal directive surprised staff, who are now adapting to complete the project primarily through AI-assisted workflows rather than conventional hand-coded development methods.

Epic Games reportedly delays Star Wars and Marvel shooter, as the Fortnite maker embraces “AI-accelerated development”

Sources