Epic Games Confirms ‘Vibe Coding’ for Unreal Engine 6 and Upcoming Fortnite Enhancements

Epic is diving deep into the world of AI. In a recent discussion, Marcus Wassmer, the executive VP of development, shed light on how the company is integrating AI into Unreal Engine 6, Fortnite, and various other projects.

“We’re vibe-coding now,” Wassmer explained. “This means our engineers aren’t writing most of the code anymore; instead, they’re steering the tools to achieve the architectural outcomes we desire. We’re not just creating the engine in one go; we’re using AI to iterate and deliver the features developers want while keeping performance, memory, and scalability in check.”

Wassmer also noted, “We’re more worried about the risks of moving too slowly than we are about skepticism surrounding AI.” This shift in strategy is notable, especially considering that just a year ago, Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney denied any AI involvement in Unreal Engine updates. The idea that a new version of one of the most popular game engines is being “vibe-coded” by AI, potentially leading to a lack of full understanding by Epic, has raised concerns among many developers. Some have even suggested that they could create their own engines using similar methods instead of paying Epic’s substantial licensing fees.

Earlier this month, Epic announced that it had “vibe-coded” a new version of the Epic Games Store launcher. “Programming is tough. So, instead of traditional coding, we vibe-coded a new Epic Games Launcher that’s significantly faster and more responsive, with a fresh design,” the announcement stated. However, social media quickly filled with reports of the launcher malfunctioning, with one user claiming it had bricked their PC. While Epic touted that the launcher started up faster than Steam, Valve soon released an update that leveled the playing field. Sweeney confirmed that AI tools are indeed being used to develop code for Unreal Engine.

In recent months, Sweeney has made several statements in favor of AI, predicting a “golden age of gaming” thanks to this technology. He has criticized Steam’s AI disclosure policies as a “political act” that “confiscates opportunity” from developers. While many players still care about whether a game’s art and writing are AI-generated or crafted by humans, some are becoming more accepting of AI’s role in gaming.

Epic has also delayed an unannounced game featuring a crossover of Marvel and Star Wars characters as it transitions to its “AI-first” development strategy. “No more handwritten code,” one director reportedly told the team, indicating that all art for the game will be created using comprehensive AI workflows.

Tim Sweeney remains a strong proponent of AI in the realm of video game development.