Both Engadget and Tom's Hardware report that Epic Games has released a preview of a redesigned launcher the company says was 'vibe coded' with AI. Epic claims the new launcher is 'way faster' than the current one and starts 46% faster than Steam from a cold start, with a 14% faster restore from the system tray. Tom's Hardware notes the startup benchmark was commissioned from Keywords Studios and based on five tests across 13 Windows platforms.
The new launcher adds features long present in Steam: dedicated game pages, a unified downloads page, and collections for organizing libraries. It also lets users access games installed through Steam from the Epic interface, and is available natively on Linux for the first time. However, Tom's Hardware reports the preview is rough around the edges: the social menu cannot be closed or resized, and Epic says it is working to bring missing social and account management options up to par. Epic also recommends that Unreal developers and competitive Fortnite and Rocket League players continue using the old launcher.
The rollout has drawn criticism. Engadget's Igor Bonifacic calls the 'programming is hard' framing tone deaf, noting it came a day after CEO Tim Sweeney announced a major AI pivot and follows layoffs that cut 1,000 jobs in March. Engadget argues the launcher still lacks a reason to switch from Steam or GOG. Tom's Hardware, meanwhile, reports that Epic has pivoted to an AI-first approach, with a director reportedly telling staff there should be no more handwritten code. Both sources note the speed improvements, but they differ on whether the AI-coded approach is something to celebrate: Engadget is openly skeptical, while Tom's Hardware focuses on the technical caveats.