Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney says the company is making a “huge pivot” toward artificial intelligence in video game development. He told developers to “retool for maximum AI acceleration.” AI tools now sit at the centre of Epic’s plans for making games. Sweeney says the goal is to help creators build more, not just do the same work with fewer people.
The Production Shift
Sweeney announced the shift in posts on X. Epic, the company behind Fortnite, is asking developers to retool around AI, though it hasn’t announced details of the reported Disney collaboration affected by a delay.
Bloomberg reported that developers had been asked to use AI tools to finish the game, which features characters from Star Wars and Marvel. According to the report, directors told staff “no more hand-written code” and said the game’s art would be “generated with full AI workflows.” Epic hasn’t announced those details. BBC Newsbeat said it had approached the company about its increased use of AI and the reported delay.
So far, the project’s production process appears in reported accounts, while Epic hasn’t provided public details about the collaboration. The available information doesn’t spell out what work AI tools will handle, how developers will use them, or how the reported delay affects the project’s release.
Jobs and the AI Debate
Sweeney said Epic wasn’t trying “to do the same stuff with fewer people.” Instead, he said the company wants to give developers tools to build “more” and “better stuff,” calling that approach “empowering” for creators.
One response to Sweeney’s X thread accused him of not being able to read the room. The thread received 14,000 likes. Sweeney replied: “much of the room wants it to be 2016, but it's not.” He added: “Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be.”
He also described Epic’s increased use of AI as the company’s “modest aim to survive the AI revolution” and to end up “making better code and content faster.” Those statements explain the company’s case for the pivot, but they don’t spell out how the change will affect particular roles or staffing levels.
Epic confirmed layoffs of more than 1,000 employees six months before the AI announcement. At the time, Sweeney attributed those cuts to a “downturn” in Fortnite engagement, rather than AI. Epic gave a reason for those layoffs distinct from its later AI announcement, and the source provides no figure for any staffing changes linked to the new policy.
Creative Work and Voice Rights
The announcement has renewed debate about AI’s role in creative and arts work. In 2025, actor union Sag-Aftra filed a complaint over the use of AI to recreate the voice of Star Wars villain Darth Vader in Fortnite. The complaint concerns AI-generated recreation of a character’s voice; the available account gives no further details about its status or outcome.
The source reports no migration, border policy, population change or EU decision connected to Epic’s announcement. The documented questions concern who makes creative decisions, how AI will be used in production, and what the change means for developers and performers.