Epic Games' Disney-licensed shooter has reportedly slipped beyond its internal March 2027 release target, with no replacement window given. The team is also being told to move to AI-first production for code and artwork, according to Bloomberg reporting summarized by Ars Technica.
The reported delay concerns a shooter featuring Marvel and Star Wars characters. March 2027 was an internal target described in reporting, not a launch date set out in Disney's original partnership announcement.
That February 2024 announcement described something broader: an Unreal Engine-powered, persistent entertainment universe connected to Fortnite. Disney announced plans to invest $1.5 billion for an equity stake in Epic alongside the multiyear collaboration, with activities spanning playing, watching, shopping and creating experiences.
The partnership's official concept art illustrates that wider universe, not gameplay from the reported shooter. The new report does not establish that every part of the Disney collaboration has been delayed.
Epic's AI plans extend beyond the Disney team
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has publicly confirmed a company-wide retooling effort, though his statement does not confirm the shooter's revised schedule or the specific instructions reportedly given to its developers. In an October 12 post, he wrote:
"We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn't to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal."
The reported internal instructions are more specific. Ars Technica's account of Bloomberg's reporting says developers would guide and manage code and art generated by AI models, including Anthropic's Claude, instead of writing code by hand. Art production would also use AI throughout its workflows.
An Epic spokesperson said in a statement quoted by Ars Technica that the company was embracing AI-accelerated development while keeping Epic developers as its creative drivers.