Epic unveils AI-built launcher with Linux support, faster than the original and Steam

Epic Games has released a preview version of a completely redesigned Epic Games Launcher. The new client was built with extensive use of AI and vibe coding, and the company made no secret when unveiling it that its main goal was to address the original app’s long-standing performance issues.

Epic claims the new launcher is about 1.8 times faster than Steam on a cold start. It is said to launch in 5.47 seconds, while Steam took 10.07 seconds in the same test. The store is expected to open three times faster, and the library may load up to 30 times faster.

The results come from testing by Keywords Studios, commissioned by Epic. The tests were conducted on 13 PCs, with the results based on five measurements on each device. However, Epic excluded the three least powerful systems from the final average.

A new interface, connected libraries, and faster search

The new launcher brings more than just improved performance: its user interface has also been significantly redesigned. Each game has its own page with information about its status, activity, available add-ons, and launch options.

• Connected libraries are one notable feature. Users will be able to connect other PC game libraries and see all their games in one place.
• Custom collections, the option to hide games, grid and detailed views, and a customizable top bar with favorite titles have also been added.
• Search now filters results as you type and supports sorting by platform, genre, and other criteria.
• The download manager has also been improved. It displays current download, disk read, and disk write speeds, and brings together active, queued, scheduled, and failed downloads.
• The new client also includes social features such as groups and voice chat across Fortnite, the Epic Games Store, and the Epic Games mobile app.

Epic Games Launcher is also coming to Linux

One of the biggest new features is native Linux support. The preview version supports Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and newer, Fedora 43 and newer, and Debian 12 and newer. Although the launcher itself runs natively, many games are still available only in Windows versions and may require a compatibility layer. On macOS, the new launcher currently supports only computers with Apple Silicon chips.

Epic also confirmed that it is working on bringing Fortnite to Linux. To make this possible, it had to modify Easy Anti-Cheat and is working with Linux distribution maintainers on security requirements.

Once the solution is widely available enough, Epic plans to bring Fortnite to Linux directly through the new Epic Games Launcher. It also plans to make the Easy Anti-Cheat changes available to other developers, which could help expand the selection of multiplayer games on Linux.

Still in preview

The new launcher is not yet a full replacement for the original client. Some social features and account management options are still missing, and Epic recommends that competitive Fortnite and Rocket League players stick with the old app during the testing phase.

Epic is clearly planning to gradually move the launcher to an entirely new technology foundation. The new app is also one of the first visible results of the company’s strategy to make greater use of AI in its development.

You can download the new launcher here.

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