Epic Games is reportedly leveraging generative artificial intelligence to expedite development on an unannounced Star Wars and Marvel crossover shooter, a project that has encountered internal delays. The information comes from a Bloomberg report citing anonymous sources familiar with the game's production.
This collaboration with Disney, expected to feature characters from both franchises, was originally slated for a March 2027 release. However, the project has since slipped, prompting Epic to encourage its development teams to adopt an "AI first" production pipeline. According to an internal message reviewed by Bloomberg, developers have been instructed to utilize AI tools such as Anthropic's Claude, with one game director reportedly stating there would be "no more hand-written code" and that artwork should be "generated with full AI workflows."
Epic's communications director, Jake Jones, confirmed the company's direction in a statement to Bloomberg, saying, "We're embracing AI-accelerated development, led by Epic developers who are the visionaries and creative drivers for everything we do."
The push towards AI in game development follows a period of significant layoffs at Epic Games, which cut over 1,000 jobs less than a year ago. At the time, CEO Tim Sweeney cited financial pressures, stating the company was "spending significantly more than we're making."
Disney acquired a $1.5 billion stake in Epic Games several years ago, establishing a partnership aimed at creating a "games and entertainment universe" connected to Fortnite. While specific details of this collaboration have been scarce, the companies indicated players would be able to "create their own stories and experiences, express their fandom in a distinctly Disney way, and share content with each other in ways that they love."