Epic Games revealed an updated PC games launcher that was “vibe coded” by AI, and the company claimed that it was faster than the Steam Client by up to 46%. The new Epic Games client is now available as a free preview that PC users can download for free to test out and provide feedback.
Although Steam remains the most utilized PC gaming storefront and launcher across the globe, that has not stopped competitors such as Epic Games from vying for gamers’ attention. Chief among the Epic Games Store’s unique features is the slate of free PC games that users can download and install every Thursday, as each week brings a new rotation of games to claim. Starting October 15, Epic Games Store users have a week to claim and add Agent A: A puzzle in disguise and Bad Cheese to their digital libraries.
The New Epic Games Launcher Is Coded by AI
Along with the announcement that Epic Games was planning to bring Fortnite to Linux thanks to updates to its Easy Anti-Cheat system, the company pulled back the curtain on its refreshed launcher. The updated Epic Games Launcher is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux distros such as Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora. The studio claimed that the updated launcher was “vibe coded,” meaning that an AI large language model wrote and developed the underlying code of the new client. Epic Games jokingly stated that the reason behind its decision to vibe code the new launcher was, “Programming is hard.” The new launcher comes with access to Epic Games Store and the library right out of the box, meaning users will still retain access to any previously obtained games. The library has also been given a facelift, as users can organize their games to their liking and choose between list and grid views. Features such as voice chat and parties are also included.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
Epic Games claimed that its new launcher took 5.47 seconds from cold start to reach the main store page, compared to the Steam Client taking 10.07 to boot up. The company clarified that its claim of the new launcher being 46% faster than Steam was based on tests conducted by Keywords Studios, a third-party studio Epic had commissioned. The tests were conducted on 13 systems, with the three lowest-end PC configurations excluded from the final results. Epic added that, since the new launcher is in a beta testing phase, any issues or bugs that crop up should be reported.
The reveal came amid a controversial week for Epic Games. On October 12, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said on Twitter that the studio was doubling down on its usage of AI across the board. After an extraction shooter project developed by Disney and Epic Games was delayed, the studio was ordered to use generative AI workflows and tools such as Claude to continue creating the game. Sweeney hinted that the company’s pivot to heavy AI usage may also extend to Unreal Engine development.
There is no denying that AI remains a controversial topic within the gaming industry, with some game developers taking extreme anti-AI stances. Given that the new Epic Games Launcher is a byproduct of coding crafted by AI, it remains to be seen how many users will test it out.
