Epic says its new vibe-coded Epic Games Launcher is faster than Steam

The Epic Games Launcher now loads materially faster, giving users quicker access to games and downloads.

Epic Games has launched a new, publicly available "Preview" build of its Epic Games Launcher, which the company claims is faster and more responsive than its current version and Steam. This new launcher was developed from scratch using AI as a tool to write and review features, resulting in a different tech stack. Epic Games Store General Manager and VP Martin Keely stated that this AI-assisted rewrite allowed a small team to efficiently rebuild the codebase, enabling faster cross-platform deployment for Windows, Mac, and an upcoming Linux version. The company is working towards feature parity with the legacy version, though the preview is currently light on features like social and account management options, while adding a Recent Games list and a centralized downloads hub. This launch follows a report indicating Epic's pivot to an "AI first" development model, with CEO Tim Sweeney emphasizing AI's role in enabling teams to build more and better content.

Epic's strategic embrace of AI in developing its new launcher signals a broader industry trend towards leveraging artificial intelligence for accelerated software development and improved performance. The "vibe coding" approach, while seemingly informal, represents a significant investment in AI-driven engineering to achieve efficiency gains and potentially reduce development costs. This move by Epic could encourage other game distribution platforms and software developers to explore similar AI-assisted development pipelines, potentially leading to faster iteration cycles and the introduction of new features across the digital marketplace.

The introduction of a faster, AI-developed launcher directly impacts gamers by reducing wait times for accessing their game libraries and initiating downloads, offering a more seamless user experience. For developers, the focus on efficiency and a new tech stack could translate into more stable and responsive platforms for their games. Competitors like Steam will likely feel pressure to respond, potentially spurring innovation in launcher performance and feature development across the PC gaming ecosystem. The current preview's feature limitations also highlight the ongoing challenges of migrating complex software architectures with AI, indicating that a full transition may still require considerable effort and time.