Epic Games to host 2026 AI MegaJam game development competition

Epic Games has announced the ‘2026 Epic AI MegaJam,’ a four-day game development competition scheduled from November 12 to 15, 2026. The event encourages developers to use artificial intelligence tools in conjunction with Unreal Engine or Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) to create innovative playable games.

Participants can compete online globally or attend an in-person event at Digital Jungle in San Francisco. Teams can consist of up to five human members and may utilize an unlimited number of AI agents for tasks such as coding, asset generation, and audio production. While the event emphasizes AI integration, official guidelines state that the use of AI is not mandatory.

The competition offers significant financial incentives, including a total cash prize pool of $65,000 across various categories. Additionally, the top Unreal Engine and UEFN projects can receive development continuation grants of up to $50,000 to support ongoing work after the event. Major AI companies, including Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and SpaceXSI, are expected to participate or provide tool credits.