Epic Games has created a new launcher using Vibe Coding.
For years, Epic has been trying to compete with the big market leader, Steam, using its own store and launcher. Now, a new launcher has been unveiled that was built entirely with Vibe Coding.
The launcher is said to outperform Steam in speed tests. But whether that’s enough to convince users to switch is questionable.
The new Epic Launcher is now available for testing
Epic has released a new launcher for Windows, macOS, and Linux. For now, this is a preview version that will be optimized and further developed based on user feedback. Epic is particularly highlighting its speed.
For example, during a “cold start,” the launcher is said to take only half as long as Steam to become ready for use. Everything inside the launcher is also said to run faster than on Valve’s competing platform.
Epic is also proud to announce that this new launcher was created entirely using Vibe Coding. In other words, the developers instructed AI to write the necessary code. Epic writes, for example:
“Programming is hard. Instead of dealing with it, we went ahead and programmed a new Epic Games Launcher that’s much faster and more responsive than the current one—and it also has a new design.
This first version is still pretty basic. Think of it more like a speedboat than a yacht! However, it does feature advanced e-commerce technology, such as a shopping cart.”
The line about the yacht is an obvious dig at Valve CEO Gabe Newell, who is known for his many yachts. The fact that many features are still missing could also explain why the new launcher is so much faster than Steam.
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In the comments section of the announcement post, user enthusiasm is somewhat muted. Here is a selection of critical comments:
- “Steam could take four hours to load, and I’d still prefer it over Epic Games.”
- “You think the reason people use Steam instead of Epic is the startup speed? Who’s advising you?”
- “How quickly can it be uninstalled?”
The very fact that Vibe Coding was used—announced with such pride—is enough for many to decide not to even try the launcher. On the other hand, there are also users who are open to the new launcher. One reports, for example, that he hasn’t encountered any bugs yet and that the loading times are actually pleasantly short.
