Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 47 mins ago
Epic previews a faster, AI-assisted games launcher with Linux support
Epic Games has opened a preview of its redesigned launcher for Windows, Mac and Linux.
The company says the new version is faster and more responsive, and has a new look.
Epic used AI to help build and test it, while its development team supervised the work and reviewed the code.
The project fits with Epic’s wider push to use AI in development, though the launcher team did not follow a reported plan to stop writing code by hand.
Linux users will also be able to access Fortnite through the launcher, according to Epic’s plans.
The existing launcher will remain available for now, and Epic has not set a date for everyone to switch.
A full release will come when the new version is stable and matches the current launcher’s features.
Epic Games has released a preview of a redesigned Epic Games Launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux.
The company says the new launcher is faster and more responsive, and was built with AI coding tools.
Epic claims it reaches the store page from a cold start 46% faster than Steam, but PC Gamer had not independently tested it.
The preview includes a redesigned library and lets users add shortcuts to games installed through other clients.
Epic also says it plans to bring Fortnite to Linux by upgrading Easy Anti-Cheat.
- Who
- Epic Games. Epic Games Store general manager Martin Keely discussed the new launcher.
- What
- Epic released a preview of a redesigned, AI-assisted games launcher.
- When
- October 14, 2026.
- Where
- The preview is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Why
- Epic says the redesign aims to make the launcher faster and more responsive and improve its features.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Epic teased a major rebuild of its games launcher.
CEO Tim Sweeney said Epic was moving developers to retool for maximum AI acceleration.
Epic announced the preview launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Epic says it will fully launch the new version when it is stable and has the needed feature parity with the current launcher.
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS and Linux
- Speed claim
- Epic says the launcher reaches the store page from a cold start 46% faster than Steam
- Development
- Epic says AI tools wrote and reviewed code for the new launcher
- Library
- Users can add shortcuts to games installed through Steam and other clients
- Fortnite
- Epic plans to bring the game to Linux through an Easy Anti-Cheat upgrade
4 sources
Epic says it’s ‘vibe coded’ its new Epic Games Launcher with AI, because ‘programming is hard’
"We vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher" because "programming is hard", announce company we're somehow supposed to see as a serious Steam competitor
Epic says its new 'vibe coded' Epic Games Store launcher is faster than Steam
Epic’s new games launcher is ‘vibe coded’
What people are saying
We used AI as a tool for this
We started from scratch
Programming is hard
The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.