GoKawiilEpic rebuilds Games Launcher via 'vibe coding,' claims it's faster than Steam
Epic Games has released a public preview of a rebuilt Epic Games Launcher, saying it was built largely through AI-assisted 'vibe coding' rather than traditional programming. Epic Games Store GM Martin Keely told press the team rewrote the launcher from scratch in a new tech stack, using AI to replicate existing functionality while adding Windows, Mac and upcoming Linux support. Epic and outlet testing found the new launcher starts up a few seconds faster than Steam, though a claimed 0.06-second advantage in restoring from the system tray was negligible.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The move signals how AI coding tools are being used not just for prototypes but for rebuilding core consumer software, potentially letting small teams ship cross-platform rewrites faster than before. Epic's public emphasis on speed over Steam suggests it is trying to chip away at a long-standing competitive weakness in its store, though whether marginal speed gains will shift user habits remains uncertain. The episode could also fuel broader debate over the reliability and maintainability of AI-generated production code.
- Epic released a preview build of a new Epic Games Launcher built using AI 'vibe coding.'
- The rewrite adds Mac support and promises a future Linux version alongside Windows.
- Independent testing found modest startup speed gains over Steam, though some claimed differences were negligible.
Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-10-14
Published there as: “Epic says its new vibe-coded Epic Games Launcher is faster than Steam”
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