Epic Games further doubles down on gen-AI tools for Fortnite, Unreal Engine 6 and more: “Our engineers are no longer writing the bulk of the code”
Epic Games has officially confirmed it’s using generative AI tools to develop code for Unreal Engine 6, Fortnite, and other company projects. In statements to This Week In Video Games, executive vice president of development Marcus Wassmer detailed the company’s approach, which the team describes as “vibe-coding.”
Under this methodology, engineers no longer write the bulk of code themselves but instead guide AI tools to achieve desired architectural outcomes. Rather than relying on single-shot AI code generation, Epic iterates with AI to ship features while maintaining strict performance, memory, and scalability requirements. This approach has already yielded tangible results: AI tools have helped resolve long-standing bugs that plagued Unreal Engine for a decade, including elusive “non-deterministic cooking bugs.”
CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed the strategy via social media, stating the company is using AI tools to develop code for Unreal Engine. The initiative extends across Epic’s backend, engine, and game development operations, representing a comprehensive shift in how the company approaches software development.
Epic’s leadership emphasizes they are “more concerned about the risks of moving too slowly than we are about AI skepticism,” reflecting the company’s aggressive stance on AI adoption. This commitment aligns with Epic’s broader AI-first pivot announced earlier this year, which includes facilitating AI development within Unreal Engine, using generative AI to build game assets, and planned updates to the Unreal Engine EULA to permit AI training on engine outputs.
The announcement marks a significant milestone in AI integration within game development, with one of the industry’s most influential engine creators openly embracing AI-assisted code generation at scale.
Sources
- Epic Games further doubles down on gen-AI tools for Fortnite, Unreal Engine 6 and more: “Our engineers are no longer writing the bulk of the code”
- Epic VP says AI code tools have stomped out decade-old ’non-deterministic cooking bugs’ in Unreal Engine
- ‘Yes, we are vibe-coding things’: Epic confirms it’s using AI tools to code Unreal Engine 6, Fortnite, and more
- Epic Officially Confirms It’s ‘Vibe Coding’ Unreal Engine 6 and Future ‘Fortnite’ Updates
- “We are more concerned about the risks of moving too slowly”: Epic get more specific about genAI use in Unreal Engine and Fortnite development