Epic Officially Confirms It’s 'Vibe Coding' Unreal Engine 6 and Future 'Fortnite' Updates

Epic Games executive VP Marcus Wassmer confirmed the company is using AI to assist in developing Unreal Engine 6 and future Fortnite updates, describing the process as 'vibe coding.' This approach involves engineers guiding AI tools rather than writing most of the code directly, aiming to meet performance and scalability requirements. Wassmer emphasized Epic’s prioritization of speed over skepticism toward AI, despite past denials from CEO Tim Sweeney about AI’s role in Unreal Engine updates.

The announcement follows criticism from developers concerned about the lack of transparency and potential risks of AI-generated code in critical tools like Unreal Engine. Some developers suggested they could bypass Epic’s licensing fees by using AI to build their own engines instead. Epic’s shift aligns with broader industry trends but has raised questions about reliability and accountability in game development pipelines.

Epic recently applied 'vibe coding' to the Epic Games Store launcher, claiming it resulted in a faster, more responsive interface. However, the update faced backlash after users reported technical issues, including claims of PCs being 'bricked.' Valve countered by releasing a store update that matched or exceeded the launcher’s performance, undermining Epic’s competitive advantage.

Tim Sweeney, Epic’s CEO, has publicly endorsed AI tools, arguing they will usher in a 'golden age of gaming' while criticizing Steam’s AI disclosures as politically motivated. Epic has paused an unannounced Marvel and Star Wars crossover game to adopt an 'AI-first' development approach, with all art reportedly generated using AI workflows and no handwritten code.