Epic Games Store Is Overhauling Its Launcher to Finally Take on Steam
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Epic Games Store is completely rebuilding its desktop launcher to fix slow load times and heavy RAM usage, with the major performance and social update scheduled to drop in May or June.
For years, using the Epic Games Store has meant dealing with a sluggish app that often hogs system resources and makes browsing feel like a chore. Fortunately, relief is finally on the horizon. According to an interview with Polygon by Epic Games Store vice president and general manager Steve Allison, the platform is completely replacing the architecture of its launcher. The major overhaul is scheduled to debut around May or June of this year, with the primary goal of drastically improving load times and reducing background resource usage to better rival Steam.
Performance is only part of the equation, as Epic is also leaning hard into community and social features. Following the recent rollout of ecosystem-wide text chat, the upcoming update will introduce game-independent voice chat and customizable virtual avatars. Players will be able to set up voice parties with friends even when they are playing completely different games. The avatar system also bridges a gap for non-Fortnite players by allowing users to equip promotional Fortnite cosmetics and cross-platform IP bonuses directly to their launcher profiles, giving everyone a bit more room for digital expression.
While weekly freebies and generous rewards have kept players logging in since 2018, the heavy and slow desktop client has always been a pain point for the community. With the vast majority of EGS users also maintaining active Steam libraries, fixing these fundamental performance bottlenecks is long overdue. If Epic delivers on its promise of a lightweight, highly responsive client paired with deeper social integration, the store might finally feel like a proper home rather than just a launcher you open to claim free games.
Tags: Epic Games Store, PC Gaming, Steam, Gaming News, Tech
Original article: Polygon