Epic Games offers $50,000 for AI games made in vibe-coding competition

Epic Games is holding a competition for AI-made games, with $50,000 grants and cash prizes up for grabs.

The company has been increasingly open about its plans to embrace artificial intelligence. Earlier in October, a report claimed that developers working on Epic's upcoming Marvel and Star Wars crossover shooter had been instructed to adopt an "AI-first" approach, using the technology to generate code and artwork.

Just days later, Epic revealed that it had used AI to build a new version of its PC launcher, joking that it had turned to "vibe coding" because "programming is hard."

Now, the company wants to encourage other game developers to experiment with AI, and it's putting some serious prize money on the line.

Epic Games wants to pay you $50,000 for AI-made games

Epic has announced the 2026 AI MegaJam, a four-day competition running from November 12 to 15, where participants must create a playable game using Unreal Engine or Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).

Developers can enter alone or in teams of up to five people, with unlimited AI agents allowed to assist them. They can use whichever AI tools they prefer, whether that's to help write code or create artwork.

"Bring any AI tools into your workflow, from asset generation to coding agents," the official website reads. "Get creative! Prototype the mechanic you never had time for, or try the art style you weren’t sure you could pull off."

The competition is open to remote participants, while an in-person event will take place in San Francisco on November 14 and 15, featuring teams from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and other companies.

There are several prizes up for grabs. The best overall Unreal Engine and UEFN games will each receive $7,500 for first place, with another $7,500 awarded to the best student project.

However, the biggest potential payout comes from development continuation grants worth up to $50,000, which will be offered to standout projects so their creators can continue working on them after the competition.

There are also smaller prizes for the best solo-developed game, visuals, and mobile projects, alongside a category specifically for games featuring AI-powered characters that players can speak to.

Anyone interested in taking part can register through the 2026 AI MegaJam page, with the competition's theme set to be revealed during a livestream on November 11.