Sjoerd de Jong, a longtime Unreal Engine veteran known for his work in level design, has left Epic Games after 12 years with the company. His departure comes as Epic begins outlining Unreal Engine 6, a future version of its game development technology that is expected to include deeper use of AI tools.
De Jong, also known as Hourences, spent more than two decades working with Unreal Engine across its different generations. Before joining Epic, he became widely respected for level design work in Unreal Tournament 2004, including the popular DM Rankin map. He later wrote books on level design and helped developers understand how to build stronger game environments.
During his time at Epic, de Jong worked through the Unreal Engine 4 and Unreal Engine 5 eras. He supported studios, gave presentations, and helped developers across the industry use the engine for games, virtual production, and other projects.
His exit does not come with a stated reason tied to Unreal Engine 6. However, it arrives at a moment when many developers are watching Epic’s AI plans closely.
Unreal Engine 6 Is Expected to Bring More AI Tools to Development
Epic has said Unreal Engine 5.8 will be the final major release in the Unreal Engine 5 generation. Unreal Engine 6 is expected to bring a closer connection with Unreal Editor for Fortnite and more AI based tools.
The company has discussed using AI models such as Claude and Gemini to help developers work inside the engine. These tools could assist with tasks such as generating content, writing code, managing workflows, and building game worlds.
That direction has created concern among some developers. AI can speed up repetitive work, but many people worry that companies may use it to reduce jobs or replace creative roles that rely on human judgment.
| Area | Unreal Engine 6 Direction |
|---|---|
| AI tools | Deeper integration with AI systems |
| Engine workflow | More automation for development tasks |
| UEFN connection | Closer link with Fortnite creation tools |
| Visual scripting | Possible changes to Blueprints over time |
| Level design | Human direction still needed for strong experiences |
Handcrafted Level Design Still Matters
De Jong’s career has been closely linked to handcrafted environments. Good level design is not only about placing buildings, enemies, or objectives inside a map. It requires pacing, player guidance, atmosphere, challenge, story context, and careful testing.
AI can help create starting points or speed up technical work, but it cannot automatically understand what makes a level memorable or fun. Developers still need to make decisions about how players feel when they enter a space, discover a secret, face a challenge, or move through a story.
De Jong acknowledged that the industry is entering a major period of change. He also said developers need to understand where technology is heading and learn how to adapt to it.
Epic Faces a Difficult Balance Between AI and Creative Control
Epic has stressed that developers will remain in control of Unreal Engine tools. That is important because game development depends on creative teams working together across design, art, writing, programming, audio, animation, and testing.
The question is how much AI will change those jobs over time. Unreal Engine 6 could make some development processes faster, especially for smaller studios with limited resources. At the same time, studios will need to ensure that automation does not weaken the creative work that makes games feel distinct.
Sjoerd de Jong’s departure marks the end of an important chapter for one of Unreal Engine’s best known level design voices. His work helped many developers understand the value of carefully built game spaces, and that lesson will remain important even as game technology changes.
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