Epic Games Shifts To AI-First Development, Disney-Linked Project Delayed

Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite and the Unreal Engine, has signalled a major strategic shift toward AI-first game development, a move that has reportedly come with a delay to a Disney-linked project.

The pivot reflects a broader trend across the gaming and entertainment industry, where studios are increasingly exploring AI tools for asset creation, animation, and content pipelines in an effort to speed up production and cut costs. Epic’s scale and influence through Unreal Engine mean any shift in its approach could ripple across thousands of studios that build on its technology.

The delay to the Disney collaboration highlights the trade-offs such transitions can bring in the short term, even as companies bet that AI-first workflows will pay off over the long run. More details on the timeline for both the AI push and the delayed project are expected as Epic firms up its plans.