GAMESLASHEpic Reportedly Delays Disney's Marvel/Star Wars Game and Pushes AI-First Development
By GameSlash
Bloomberg reports Epic postponed an unannounced Disney shooter and told developers to adopt AI-first workflows using tools such as Claude. The instructions and new timing are unconfirmed by Epic.
Epic Games has reportedly delayed an unannounced Disney collaboration that would feature characters from Marvel and Star Wars while directing its developers to adopt an 'AI-first' production workflow. The October 12, 2026 Bloomberg report, by Jason Schreier, cites people familiar with the project and internal messages. Epic has not publicly confirmed the full details or announced a new release date, so the claims should be understood as reporting rather than a formal development plan.
What the AI-first directive reportedly says
According to Bloomberg, the project had been aimed at March 2027. Some of the team were told to use AI tools including Anthropic's Claude, while human developers guide and review the work. One director reportedly wrote 'No more hand-written code' and called for art to be produced through full AI workflows. This reflects reported internal instructions, not evidence that all final game assets have already been generated or that humans have stopped doing design and quality assurance.
The project is described as an unannounced shooter involving characters from the Marvel and Star Wars franchises. This has not been demonstrated as a playable game. The reported delay has no confirmed replacement launch date.
The Disney collaboration predates the new AI report
Disney's February 2024 announcement said it would invest $1.5 billion for an equity stake in Epic Games and collaborate on a connected entertainment universe interoperable with Fortnite. The newly reported shooter and its development directives are not the same thing as a public announcement that every Disney–Epic game is being built with AI. The concept illustration here was published for the earlier partnership.
Why this matters for game developers
An AI-first mandate for a large licensed game is unusual because the production pipeline includes code integration, licenses, asset approvals, playtesting and creative quality standards. AI-assisted prototypes may arrive faster, but Bloomberg's account does not establish that generated code and artwork can meet those standards without extra iteration. It also does not prove AI caused the reported delay; both events were reported together, not as a verified cause-and-effect relationship.
Primary report: Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, via Yahoo Finance
Secondary reporting and context: VGC, October 12
Original partnership and concept image: Epic Games and Disney, February 2024