Epic Games has released a preview build of a redesigned Epic Games Store launcher, boasting significant speed improvements over its current iteration and competitor Steam. However, the company has openly stated the new software was "vibe coded," a practice that utilizes AI to generate code without explicit programming knowledge.
In a blog post, the Epic Games Store Team announced the availability of the preview build, claiming it boots 46% faster on a cold start than Steam, and is 14% faster at restoring from the system tray to the library. The new launcher is also described as offering "snappier navigation between library and store" and placing "less load on your system while it runs in the background."
Features included in this initial preview release are voice chat, enhanced game information within the library, customizable library views, quicker filtering options, and more detailed download speed data. Epic describes this version as a "speedboat and not a yacht," noting that advanced features like a shopping cart are present.
The "vibe coding" approach, where AI generates code, has drawn criticism from some software engineering circles due to concerns about maintainability and potential security vulnerabilities. This method represents a significant aspect of Epic CEO Tim Sweeney's declared commitment to "maximum AI acceleration" within the company. Sweeney has previously articulated a vision where AI enables developers to create more and better content. This stance has been evident in Epic's past use of AI for generating assets, such as Fortnite skins, and in controversial AI-driven NPCs that have exhibited problematic behavior.
Despite the potential concerns surrounding AI-generated code, Epic's embrace of this technology underscores its strategic direction towards integrating artificial intelligence across its development and product offerings.