Epic says it vibe-coded a faster new Epic Games Launcher with AI
Epic’s new launcher preview promises faster navigation and a lighter footprint, with the company openly crediting AI-assisted “vibe coding” for its creation.
Epic Games says it has built a new Epic Games Launcher preview with AI-assisted “vibe coding”, arguing that the result is faster and more responsive than its current client.1 The preview is available to try now, although the company says this first release is deliberately light on features.1
What Epic is changing
Epic describes the launcher as a “speedboat and not a yacht”. The preview adds a shopping cart alongside quicker navigation between the store and library, a revised library and download experience, and a lower background system load, according to the company.1
Epic also claims an average cold-start time of 5.47 seconds, which it says is 46% faster than Steam in its testing. The comparison graphic was published by Epic and says the results came from five tests across 13 Windows PC configurations, with testing conducted by Keywords Studios.2
The announcement follows months of promises to rebuild the launcher from the ground up. Epic had previously said the replacement would improve startup times and address long-standing complaints about the existing client, which the company’s store boss Steven Allison once bluntly described as slow and unpleasant to use.3
Why the AI detail matters
“Vibe coding” generally means describing software in natural language while an AI system generates or changes the code. Epic’s announcement is unusually direct about using that approach for a consumer-facing application, but it does not present the preview as a finished product. The company’s own “light on features” warning is important: speed improvements will not mean much if the new client lacks the store and account features players rely on.
Our opinion
Epic’s gamble is interesting because the launcher is exactly the sort of software where responsiveness is easy to feel. A faster library is useful, but the preview still has to prove that AI-assisted development can produce dependable account, download and commerce features rather than just a slick first impression. Treating this as an early public test, rather than a finished Steam replacement, is the sensible way to approach it.
Epic’s new launcher is therefore worth testing for anyone frustrated by the current client, but its own caveat should set expectations: this is an early preview, not a full-featured replacement yet.