Epic Games Releases AI-Designed Launcher in Preview, Claims 46% Speed Boost Over Steam
Epic Games has unveiled a redesigned launcher built with artificial intelligence, claiming significant performance improvements and new features comparable to Steam's offering.
A newly redesigned Epic Games Launcher is now available for download in preview mode, developed using AI technology. The company asserts the launcher operates substantially faster than its predecessor and launches 46% quicker than Steam. Epic Games has established a landing page where users can obtain the new launcher and explore its feature set.
Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher that's way faster and more responsive than the current one, and has a new look.
Epic Games, in a blog post
The launcher remains in preview phase, functioning as an open beta where users can download and test it freely. Epic Games is actively soliciting user feedback and plans to release a stable version after incorporating and addressing that feedback.
Beyond the startup speed metric highlighted in Epic's promotional materials, the updated launcher introduces several new capabilities, many of which have long been standard on Steam but absent from Epic's previous version. The redesigned launcher now features dedicated library pages for individual games and a consolidated downloads section. It also incorporates collections functionality, a popular Steam feature that enables users to organize their game libraries into custom categories. Epic claims the new library operates at "30x faster" speeds, though the company provides no supporting details.
Despite its enhancements, the launcher exhibits some unpolished aspects. The revamped social menu, for example, remains visible across the store and library interfaces without the ability to close or minimize it. Epic acknowledges that "certain social features and account management options" are not yet included in the new launcher, stating the company is working toward "feature parity."
Epic Games recommends that developers working on Unreal Engine projects and competitive players in Fortnite and Rocket League continue using the existing launcher. The reasoning behind this guidance is unclear, but it suggests potential gaps in the new launcher's functionality.
According to Epic's claims, the new launcher achieves 46% faster startup times compared to Steam from a cold start and 14% faster restoration from the system tray, though the latter improvement represents only 0.06 seconds. Keywords Studios, a firm providing various services to the gaming and entertainment sectors including benchmarking, conducted the testing. Epic reports results derived from five tests across 13 Windows platforms.
Notably, Epic has not disclosed performance comparisons between the new launcher and its previous version, offering only general statements that the new launcher is "way faster and more responsive."
The Epic Games Launcher preview is accessible for download across Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. Windows 10 and 11 are supported, as are macOS 12 and later versions. Linux users require at least Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Fedora 43, or Debian 12.
This launcher release aligns with Epic's recent strategic shift toward artificial intelligence. Tim Sweeney, Epic's chief executive, has characterized the company as AI-first. Reports indicate Epic has postponed a Disney-themed shooter project, with a director informing staff that "no more handwritten code" should be produced and that art will be "generated with full AI workflows."