Back to the trend of the day: A top game maker tells its staff: AI writes the code now
Poly Rating · from the trend of the day

Epic Games AI Usage: Top 10 Studios Compared (2026)

Epic reportedly told staff on its delayed Disney game 'no more hand-written code' in the same year that 52% of surveyed game developers said generative AI is hurting the industry, up from 30% a year earlier.

  • No. 1: Epic Games
  • 10 places

01Final list

The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.

Order: from most to least AI agreement.

A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.

  1. 1

    Epic Games

    Staff on the delayed Disney game were reportedly told 'no more hand-written code', and Sweeney called Steam AI tags 'irresponsible'. No Epic Steam disclosure was found.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 1 · ChatGPT: 1

    What each AI noted 2
    • Claudeplace 1

      Staff were reportedly told 'no more hand-written code' on a Disney game delayed from March, while Epic's CEO called Steam's AI tags 'irresponsible'.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 1

      A reported “AI first” mandate and “no more hand-written code” put its internal direction unusually far ahead of what Steam’s player-facing disclosure measures.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  2. 2

    Activision (Call of Duty)

    Activision says its studios' talent leads the creative work, yet Steam admits AI helped 'some in-game assets' without naming which. Black Ops 7 sat at 35% or 42% positive, depending on the snapshot.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 5 · ChatGPT: 2

    What each AI noted 2
    • Claudeplace 5

      A one-line Steam disclosure ('some in-game assets') sits beside a 42% positive Steam rating and a statement that never confirms the disputed art.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 2

      The company’s broad “people first” wording meets a concrete Steam admission: generative AI helped develop some in-game assets.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  3. 3

    Larian Studios

    Vincke's AI remarks drew backlash from fans and former staff. Larian then dropped generative AI from Divinity concept art and writing, closing the gap in public.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 10 · ChatGPT: 4

    What each AI noted 2
    • Claudeplace 10

      The CEO's AI remarks drew backlash from fans and former staff, and Larian then dropped generative AI from Divinity concept art and writing. That is the gap closing in public.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 4

      After a public dispute over concept-art exploration, the studio said it would stop using generative AI for that work; its fan-content policy separately bars using its IP to prompt or train generative AI.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  4. More about the top three ↓
  5. 4

    Ubisoft

    Yves Guillemot compared generative AI to the shift to 3D. Then an AI-made placeholder loading screen 'slipped through' into Anno 117.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 6 · ChatGPT: 10

    What each AI noted 2
    • Claudeplace 6

      The CEO likened generative AI to the shift to 3D, then an AI-made loading screen 'slipped through' into Anno 117.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 10

      A large publisher can have an industry-wide AI conversation without a public studio-level ledger that lines up policy, staff views and shipped disclosures.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  6. 5

    Electronic Arts

    Its CEO calls AI 'the very core of our business' and says 60% of development processes could use it. No EA developers' views were found to compare, so this place is tentative.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 8 · ChatGPT: 9

    What each AI noted 2
    • Claudeplace 8

      AI is 'the very core of our business' and about 85% of QA already uses AI or machine learning, yet EA says it hires more QA staff than ever.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 9

      The ranking is cautious: broad industry policy statistics cannot tell us what EA’s studios disclose or what EA developers privately think.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  7. 6

    Pearl Abyss (Crimson Desert)

    It shipped AI-made 2D props with no Steam disclosure, apologised ('we should have clearly disclosed'), promised to audit every asset, and updated the page afterwards.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 9 · ChatGPT: 8

    What each AI noted 2
    • Claudeplace 9

      It shipped AI-made props without a Steam disclosure, apologised, and promised to audit every asset.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 8

      A missing Steam disclosure became a controversy after players questioned AI-looking art; absence of a label is not proof of absence or proof of undisclosed use.

    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  8. 7

    Embark Studios / Nexon (Arc Raiders, The Finals)

    A design director said Arc Raiders 'in no way uses generative AI', yet it ships AI text-to-speech voices. Some of those lines were later re-recorded by human actors.

    Included it: Claude, ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 7 · ChatGPT: 3

    What each AI noted 2
    • Claudeplace 7

      Embark said Arc Raiders 'in no way uses generative AI', yet the game ships AI text-to-speech voices.

      Source ↗
    • ChatGPTplace 3

      Its AI voice debate is a reminder that “AI voice” can mean generated speech built partly from human performances, not a fully synthetic cast.

      Source ↗
    2 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  9. 8

    Krafton (PUBG, inZOI)

    After declaring itself 'AI first' it opened voluntary resignations. 158 people left headquarters (about 7.6%), and attrition at RisingWings hit 40.2%.

    Included it: Claude. Did not include: ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 2

    What each AI noted 1
    • Claudeplace 2

      It declared itself 'AI first', opened a voluntary resignation programme, then reported 158 departures at HQ and 40.2% attrition at RisingWings.

      Source ↗
    1 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  10. 9

    Square Enix

    It wants generative AI doing 70% of QA and debugging by end-2027 and announced this the same day as US and European layoffs. Larian's Michael Douse called it 'utterly foolish'.

    Included it: Claude. Did not include: ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 3

    What each AI noted 1
    • Claudeplace 3

      The plan to have generative AI do 70% of QA by end-2027 came the same day as US and European layoffs.

      Source ↗
    1 AIs put it here
    Source ↗
  11. 10

    Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar)

    The CEO says AI making a GTA-level hit is a 'laughable notion', yet he is 'actively embracing' it with hundreds of pilots. Then Take-Two laid off its head of AI.

    Included it: Claude. Did not include: ChatGPT.

    In their lists: Claude: 4

    What each AI noted 1
    • Claudeplace 4

      The CEO says generative AI has 'zero part' in what Rockstar is building, yet Take-Two runs hundreds of AI pilots and laid off its head of AI.

      Source ↗
    1 AIs put it here
    Source ↗

02More about the top three

The ranking is above. Here is more about the three places at the top: what they are, why they are here, and what is worth knowing.

The three are not measured the same way: Epic is judged on a reported internal order, Activision on a Steam disclosure and review scores (35% or 42% positive, depending on the snapshot), and Larian on a public reversal.

1Epic Games

No. 1 — Epic Games. On the lists of 2 of 2 AIs; median place there: 1. Epic is first because it reportedly ordered 'no more hand-written code' while its CEO attacked Steam's AI tags, and no Epic disclosure was found.

Did you know

  • Gears of War (2006) reportedly grossed "about $100 million off a $12 million budget." Epic's later hit Fortnite Battle Royale had over 125 million players by May 2018, per the same page.

    Source ↗
What it is
Maker of Fortnite and Gears of War, now building a delayed Disney game.
Its edge
Its AI push is reported as the most total, and the least disclosed.
Who should know
Useful for anyone wondering how far AI-first studios go and what players are told.
  • Reported AI stance'no more hand-written code'
  • Founded1991

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • Steam asks for disclosure in 2 categories: content made before play and content made while a game runs. Epic’s own storefront requires no similar disclosure, leaving players with less information about its games. — (voice only)

    Source ↗

  • Epic’s $1.5 billion Disney collaboration was slated to release a shooter in March 2027. A report says the project was delayed indefinitely as Epic shifted to AI-first development, despite its statement that developers lead the work. — (voice only)

    Source ↗ ✓ confirmed by several AIs
History

  • In 2006, Gears of War became Epic’s first big Xbox hit: it sold more than 2 million copies worldwide in six weeks and was the fastest-selling next-generation game of the year. [Microsoft announcement](https://news.microsoft.com/source/2006/12/15/microsoft-game-studios-and-epic-games-inc-announce-gears-of-war-surpasses-2-million-in-unit-sales-worldwide-becoming-the-fastest-selling-next-generation-console-game/)

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • Sweeney calls Valve's AI tags 'irresponsible'. Critics reply that players have a right to know how a game was made. His case rests on one market study, and that study admits other causes, such as low-quality AI games, could also explain it.

    Source ↗
Where to go further

  • Start with the article's direct quotes from Tim Sweeney, who calls Valve's Steam AI tags 'irresponsible'. Then compare his public stance with the Steam disclosure rules Epic's games must follow.

    Source ↗
Compare the top three ↓

2Activision (Call of Duty)

No. 2 — Activision (Call of Duty). On the lists of 2 of 2 AIs; median place there: 3.5. Activision ranks second because Steam admits AI helped 'some in-game assets' without saying which, while the company says its studio talent leads the creative work.

Did you know

  • Activision is in the Guinness World Records as the first third-party console game developer. Before it, only console makers published games for their own machines. It was founded in 1979 by former Atari programmers, and its first Atari 2600 cartridges came out in 1980.

    Source ↗
What it is
Publisher of Call of Duty, whose Black Ops 7 page carries an AI note.
Its edge
It does disclose AI use on Steam, but only in one vague line.
Who should know
Useful for players who want to know what they are buying and why fans are upset.
  • Reported AI stance35% or 42% positive
  • Founded2003

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • Black Ops 7’s Steam page says AI helped develop “some in-game assets,” but Activision has not said which ones. The game had 35% positive reviews in the Steam snapshot reported on its page. — (voice only)

    Source ↗

  • Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 use the same broad Steam disclosure, while Activision says its studio teams lead the creative process. The company has not identified the specific AI-assisted content in Black Ops 7. — (voice only)

    Source ↗
History

  • In 2008, Activision merged with Vivendi Games, bringing Blizzard into the company and joining franchises such as Call of Duty and World of Warcraft under one roof. [Activision Blizzard annual report](https://www.activision.com/cdn/activisionblizzard/investors/annual-reports/ACTI08AR.pdf)

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • Steam's page says generative AI helped make some in-game assets. Steam's rules don't require detail, so Activision doesn't have to say which ones. Players point at the calling cards, but Activision hasn't confirmed any specific image.

    Source ↗
Where to go further

  • Read the section on the Calling Cards first, since fans point to these collectible backgrounds as the likely AI art. Then compare it with Activision's vague Steam line that AI helped 'some in-game assets'.

    Source ↗
Compare the top three ↓

3Larian Studios

No. 3 — Larian Studios. On the lists of 2 of 2 AIs; median place there: 7. Larian ranks third because, after fan and ex-staff backlash, it publicly dropped generative AI from Divinity concept art and writing, closing the gap.

Did you know

  • Larian's Baldur's Gate 3 won six awards at The Game Awards 2023, including Game of the Year. That left it one win short of the record, which The Last of Us Part 2 set in 2020.

    Source ↗
What it is
Belgian studio behind Baldur's Gate 3 and the Divinity games.
Its edge
It is the only one of the three that publicly reversed course.
Who should know
Useful for anyone who wants to see how public pushback can change a studio's AI plans.
  • Reported AI stanceDropped generative AI
  • Founded1996

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

  • After backlash, Larian said on January 9, 2026, that it would stop using generative AI in Divinity concept-art development. That was a public change from earlier remarks about using AI to explore ideas and develop concept art. — (voice only)

    Source ↗

  • Larian’s writing director said a limited group tested AI text tools, but rated the results “3/10 at best” and said they would not be used in Divinity. The rating shows why the studio dropped that use for the game. — (voice only)

    Source ↗
History

  • In 2014, Divinity: Original Sin nearly pushed Larian into bankruptcy. The studio borrowed money, raised funds on Kickstarter, and delayed tax payments to finish it; the game’s success gave Larian room to keep making its own role-playing games. [PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/how-divinity-original-sin-almost-bankrupted-larian-studios/)

    Source ↗
Keep in mind

  • Larian later said it won't use generative AI for Divinity concept art, and its writing director said no text generation touches the writing. The studio still tests generative AI in other departments, so the question isn't fully closed.

    Source ↗ ✓ confirmed by several AIs

Video: How Larian Studios is Crafting Divinity to be Bigger Than Baldur’s Gate 3 · PC Gamer

Compare the top three ↓

The top three side by side

Epic GamesActivision (Call of Duty)Larian Studios
In the AIs' lists2 / 22 / 22 / 2
Reported AI stance'no more hand-written code'35% or 42% positiveDropped generative AI
Founded199120031996
Put first byClaude, ChatGPT——

Places with the same number of AIs are ordered by their average place in the AIs' own lists.

More ratings

03Worth knowing

What the AIs noticed while building the list.

Steam AI disclosures rose from 10.9% of 2024 releases to 30.8% of 2026 releases so far. Haro projects that half of launches will carry the flag by 2027-28. These are disclosures, not every use of AI.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT.
Source ↗

Since January 2026, Steam's form exempts code assistants and other back-end tools. A 'no hand-written code' mandate would never appear on a store page.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT.
Source ↗

Among 2025 Steam games, those disclosing AI got about 53% fewer first-month reviews after controls. Outlets differ on the sample (9,879 vs 16,554 games), and the figure is about review counts, not scores.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude. Did not include: ChatGPT.
Source ↗

Epic confirmed only the AI-first approach. The 'no hand-written code' detail and the length of the delay come from unnamed sources, and outlets differ on whether the delay is indefinite.

Noticed by:
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT.
Source ↗

04Questions people ask

Does Epic Games use AI?

Yes. Epic confirmed its Disney project is 'AI first', and Bloomberg reported staff were told 'no more hand-written code'. The game slipped from its March target.

Source ↗
Does Embark Studios use generative AI?

Yes, for voices. Arc Raiders ships AI text-to-speech alongside human actors, and its Steam page discloses AI-based tools. In March 2026 Embark began re-recording some lines with human actors.

Source ↗
Does Larian Studios use generative AI?

Not for Divinity concept art or writing. Larian dropped it there after backlash but still tests AI in other departments. The studio has 23 concept artists.

Source ↗
Did Larian Studios use generative AI?

Yes, to explore ideas, make presentations and write placeholder text. Swen Vincke says no concept art was made with it. Reports differ on whether this was a reversal or a clarification.

Source ↗

05How we counted

In plain words, no formulas.

1The question

Top 10 Game Studios by the Gap Between What They Say About AI and What They Ship

2Why this topic

Readers can compare each studio's announcements with its store-page record and with its own staff's views, and no single source puts those three side by side.

3Where it applies

Global video game industry (large publishers and studios)

4What we looked at

  • Size of the gap between a studio's public AI stance (executive statements, internal memos, published policies) and its AI disclosures on Steam
  • Share of the studio's recent Steam releases that carry an AI-content disclosure
  • How far its own developers' views, in surveys, open letters or public statements, differ from leadership's stance
  • Whether the studio has published an AI policy at all, and how specific it is
  • Sulka Haro's Steam AI-disclosure census (via PC Gamer) — Share of about 53,600 Steam releases (July 2023 to July 2026) whose store page discloses generative AI: 10.9% in 2024, 19.9% in 2025, 30.8% so
  • Valve, Steam AI-disclosure form (rewritten January 2026) — Developers report AI content shipped in the game or on the store page, and AI content generated during play. Since the rewrite, back-end tool
  • GDC 2026 State of the Game Industry — Survey of about 2,300 developers: 52% say generative AI is hurting the industry (30% a year earlier); 78% work at companies with an AI policy; 36% use AI at work.
  • Bloomberg report on Epic (12 Oct 2026), via Game Developer — Epic's 'AI first' Disney project, the reported 'no more hand-written code' message and the delay. Epic confirmed the AI-first approach. The

5Who ranked

The leading AIs, each building its own list of ten independently and naming a source for every place: Claude, ChatGPT.

6How the places were set

The same entry written differently by different AIs was counted as one. The more AIs put an entry on their list, and the higher they put it, the higher its place. "AI agreement" shows how many of the AIs had it on their own list. Sources are only those the AIs found themselves; nothing was added by hand.

06Each AI's own list

🇺🇸 Claude10 places · 3 notes

The same question, answered by Claude alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Epic Games

    Staff were reportedly told 'no more hand-written code' on a Disney game delayed from March, while Epic's CEO called Steam's AI tags 'irresponsible'.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Krafton (PUBG, inZOI)

    It declared itself 'AI first', opened a voluntary resignation programme, then reported 158 departures at HQ and 40.2% attrition at RisingWings.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Square Enix

    The plan to have generative AI do 70% of QA by end-2027 came the same day as US and European layoffs.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar)

    The CEO says generative AI has 'zero part' in what Rockstar is building, yet Take-Two runs hundreds of AI pilots and laid off its head of AI.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Activision (Call of Duty)

    A one-line Steam disclosure ('some in-game assets') sits beside a 42% positive Steam rating and a statement that never confirms the disputed art.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Ubisoft

    The CEO likened generative AI to the shift to 3D, then an AI-made loading screen 'slipped through' into Anno 117.

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Nexon / Embark Studios (Arc Raiders)

    Embark said Arc Raiders 'in no way uses generative AI', yet the game ships AI text-to-speech voices.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Electronic Arts

    AI is 'the very core of our business' and about 85% of QA already uses AI or machine learning, yet EA says it hires more QA staff than ever.

    Source ↗
  9. 9
    Pearl Abyss (Crimson Desert)

    It shipped AI-made props without a Steam disclosure, apologised, and promised to audit every asset.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Larian Studios

    The CEO's AI remarks drew backlash from fans and former staff, and Larian then dropped generative AI from Divinity concept art and writing. That is the gap closing in public.

    Source ↗

What Claude noticed

Steam AI disclosures went from 10.9% of 2024 releases to 30.8% of 2026 releases so far. Haro's projection is that half of Steam launches will carry a flag by 2027-28.

Source ↗

The loudest AI directive (Epic) sits at a company whose games are not on Steam, so the disclosure channel measures almost nothing about it. The census only sees what a publisher lists on Steam.

Source ↗

A study of 2025 Steam games found disclosed-AI titles got about 53% fewer first-month reviews after controls. Disclosure has a commercial cost, which helps explain why some studios stay vague.

Source ↗
🇺🇸 ChatGPT10 places · 4 notes

The same question, answered by ChatGPT alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.

  1. 1
    Epic Games

    A reported “AI first” mandate and “no more hand-written code” put its internal direction unusually far ahead of what Steam’s player-facing disclosure measures.

    Source ↗
  2. 2
    Activision / Treyarch and Raven Software

    The company’s broad “people first” wording meets a concrete Steam admission: generative AI helped develop some in-game assets.

    Source ↗
  3. 3
    Embark Studios

    Its AI voice debate is a reminder that “AI voice” can mean generated speech built partly from human performances, not a fully synthetic cast.

    Source ↗
  4. 4
    Larian Studios

    After a public dispute over concept-art exploration, the studio said it would stop using generative AI for that work; its fan-content policy separately bars using its IP to prompt or train generative AI.

    Source ↗
  5. 5
    Microsoft Gaming / Xbox

    A Microsoft business-strategy manager’s public “AI is inevitable” message landed amid a GDC survey where 52% of respondents said AI was hurting the industry.

    Source ↗
  6. 6
    Nexon / Embark Studios

    Nexon’s CEO defended generative AI in development just as Embark’s voice work showed why players and studios may mean different things by “AI use.”

    Source ↗
  7. 7
    Valve

    Valve asks developers to disclose player-facing generated content, while its own rules explicitly leave efficiency gains from AI development tools outside the disclosure’s focus.

    Source ↗
  8. 8
    Pearl Abyss

    A missing Steam disclosure became a controversy after players questioned AI-looking art; absence of a label is not proof of absence or proof of undisclosed use.

  9. 9
    Electronic Arts

    The ranking is cautious: broad industry policy statistics cannot tell us what EA’s studios disclose or what EA developers privately think.

    Source ↗
  10. 10
    Ubisoft

    A large publisher can have an industry-wide AI conversation without a public studio-level ledger that lines up policy, staff views and shipped disclosures.

    Source ↗

What ChatGPT noticed

The Steam disclosure share rose from 10.9% of 2024 releases to 30.8% of releases through mid-2026, but the census counts disclosures, not every use of AI.

Source ↗

GDC’s 52% negative-impact result sits alongside 78% saying their company has an AI policy; policy presence alone says nothing about how restrictive or detailed it is.

Source ↗

Steam’s current disclosure focus is shipped content players consume, leaving code assistance and some internal workflows outside the public label.

Source ↗

Epic’s reported AI-first production directive is an unusually direct leadership signal, but its details concern a single delayed project and do not establish the workflow for every Epic title.

Source ↗