Epic delays Star Wars/Marvel shooter to retool studio around AI tools

Epic Games pushed back an unannounced shooter that mixes Star Wars and Marvel characters, according to multiple reports. The game was originally slated for March 2027, but that date is off the table while the studio overhauls its production pipeline.

The reason? Epic told developers to switch to what it calls an AI-first approach, leaning on tools like Anthropic's Claude to speed up workflows. CEO Tim Sweeney described the move as a huge pivot to retool for maximum AI acceleration.

What Epic says it's doing

Sweeney clarified the goal is to let developers build more and better content, not cut headcount to do the same work with fewer people. That's a notable distinction after the company went through layoffs within the past year, though exact timing varies between reports.

Epic has been aggressive about AI lately, and this shift affects one of its most ambitious projects—a crossover shooter that would pull from two of the biggest franchises in entertainment. Fortnite already proved Epic knows how to blend IP from different universes, so a dedicated Star Wars/Marvel game made sense on paper.

Why it matters to you

You're not getting this game in 2027. Beyond that, it's unclear how much longer the delay will stretch or whether the AI pivot will actually make the final product better. Epic's betting that new tools will unlock faster iteration and higher quality, but that's a promise, not a guarantee.

If you've been burned by delayed games before, this one's joining the pile. The difference is Epic is being upfront about why: they're changing how they make games mid-stream, and this project is caught in the transition.

For now, the Star Wars/Marvel shooter is on ice while Epic figures out its new workflow. Whether that pays off depends on how well the studio adapts—and whether players care more about the tech behind the scenes or the game in their hands.