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Epic Games tells employees to use AI to get Disney game done

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Epic Games has told staff to pivot to AI-driven production to finish a long-delayed Disney-licensed game that includes Marvel and Star Wars characters. After cutting about 1,000 employees in March amid falling Fortnite engagement, leadership acknowledged it had underestimated the staffing needed and pushed the project back from its planned release. Management ordered a shift away from hand-written code toward full AI workflows, a move that surprised and angered remaining developers who had hoped the announcement was a joke. Epic framed the change as embracing AI-accelerated development while insisting human developers will remain the creative leads.

The decision reignites questions about quality, labor and IP handling: Disney offered no public response, though its recent openness to user-generated AI content suggests it may tolerate AI involvement. The story also notes a previously mentioned Sora-related deal is no longer active, underscoring shifting partnerships and strategies. The situation highlights tension between cost-cutting, ambitious licensed projects, and rapid adoption of generative tools in large-scale game production.

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