Disney’s Huge Marvel and ‘Star Wars’ Game Just Took a Very Different Direction
Epic Games is reportedly making AI central to development of an unannounced Disney shooter featuring Marvel and Star Wars characters. The reported shift matters because the project was part of a major Disney-Epic partnership, and it would use generated material for both code and art.
An internal message reportedly told developers to use “no more handwritten code”, with staff guiding AI tools including Anthropic’s Claude. Bloomberg says the move followed slower-than-expected progress and an underestimate of the staffing needed. Epic says its developers remain the creative drivers and that AI is intended to increase what employees can build.
- Epic is reportedly adopting an AI-first process for a Disney shooter.
- AI would be used to produce both code and art.
- The reported change follows delays and underestimated staffing needs.
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Disney is a global entertainment company whose franchises include Marvel and Star Wars. Epic Games, the studio behind Fortnite, has partnered with Disney on plans for new games and other interactive entertainment.
The reported shooter would bring characters from both franchises into one game. Its development is drawing attention because it is said to rely on AI tools for writing code and creating art, with developers guiding those tools. The project highlights questions about how AI may change game-making and the roles of the people who create games.
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The case for
Making AI central could help Epic address delays and staffing shortfalls while allowing developers to build more within the project’s scope. If staff guide and review the tools, generated code and art could free them to focus on creative decisions and help deliver the game more efficiently.
The case against
A requirement for “no more handwritten code” could reduce developers’ control over how the game is made and make it harder to maintain quality, originality and accountability. Because generated material would shape both code and art, relying heavily on AI may also raise concerns about creative work being displaced or the game feeling less distinctly authored.