Unreal Engine 6 AI: Epic develops Claude and Gemini.

      Epic will allow studios to integrate Claude, Gemini, or any other models they prefer into the next Unreal Engine to handle the 'tedious tasks' of game development. More than half of developers view this as a negative approach.

      Epic Games has revealed its vision for Unreal Engine 6, which prominently features generative AI. During its State of Unreal keynote at Unreal Fest in Chicago on Wednesday, the creator of Fortnite announced that UE6 will include integrations for models like Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini, promoting them as 'creativity and productivity enhancers' for game developers.

      The concept is to offload the more mundane aspects of game development to an AI model, enabling teams to focus more on creative choices. This same reasoning applied when Claude was integrated into design tools at Canva, and now it is being directed at game development software.

      What Epic is actually delivering

      According to Marcus Wassmer, the executive overseeing Epic’s development team, UE6 is built on three main pillars.

      The first is a new gameplay programming model named Verse, which Epic claims will be familiar to anyone experienced with Python or C#. The second involves making game content and code transferable across various games and engines by utilizing open standards.

      The third pillar is AI. Epic is providing access to the engine via a Model Context Protocol (MCP) layer, which is an open standard that enables large language models to interface with other software. This allows studios to choose various models without being restricted to a single option. “UE6 will come equipped with tools and workflows that allow you to incorporate your preferred models,” Wassmer noted.

      An initial version is already available. Unreal Engine 5.8, which was released concurrently, includes an experimental MCP plugin that connects any LLM to the core engine functionalities, such as blueprints, assets, levels, materials, and meshes.

      In a demonstration, Epic showcased Claude Code retrieving objects from an asset library to decorate a virtual apartment, subsequently adjusting the lighting in a city scene to match a real-world reference photo. Developers can still manually modify everything afterward.

      The real transformation lies in who holds the reins of the engine

      The clear narrative is that AI has made its way into Unreal Engine. However, the more significant aspect is that Epic is incorporating third-party models as a fundamental element of game creation within the toolset widely used across the industry, from Fortnite to numerous studios licensing the engine.

      UE6 is still some time away, with Epic aiming for an early access release by the end of 2027 and a full launch expected 12 to 18 months later. The new engine will also merge Epic’s two development pathways, the standalone UE5 and Unreal Editor for Fortnite, into a single offering. One early indication: Epic plans to allow players to transfer their Fortnite outfits to other games built on UE6 and enable developers to create skins compatible with Fortnite.

      Half of developers believe this move is unwise

      Epic is integrating AI into its engine at a time when much of the industry is cautious about it.

      In the 2026 State of the Game Industry survey conducted by the Game Developers Conference, which included over 2,300 participants, 52 percent expressed that they believe generative AI negatively impacts the industry. This figure has risen from 30 percent in 2025 and 18 percent in 2024, with only 7 percent viewing it positively.

      This apprehension is already surfacing. Poncle, the studio behind Vampire Survivors, announced it is ‘reviewing’ its collaboration with Fortnite following the generative AI developments.

      Meanwhile, Epic is implementing cost-cutting measures, having laid off more than 1,000 employees in March as interest in Fortnite has waned against competitors such as Roblox.

      Chief executive Tim Sweeney has voiced his opinion clearly. Last November, he stated that a 'made with AI' label “makes no sense for game stores, where AI will play a role in almost all future production.”

      With UE6, Epic is embedding that assumption directly into the tools. Whether the studios relying on Unreal will adopt this approach remains an open question.