Launcher V2 will go through a private beta before a public release.
After an Epic Games exec admitted to Eurogamer that its launcher sucks earlier this year, the company reportedly revealed that it’s working on a “ground-up rebuild” of its launcher that will be much faster than the existing version. In a presentation given during Unreal Fest, parts of which were posted on X by LuKaOnIndeed, Epic said that Launcher V2 will be five times faster on an average cold start and 6.5 times faster when restoring the app from the system tray.
Epic said in its presentation that “every developer in this room and every player we have has experienced challenges with the current launcher.” Gamers have even gone to great lengths to access their free games claimed on the Epic Games Store through Steam to avoid the launcher’s slow and clunky design. As seen as part of a roadmap in Epic’s presentation, the Launcher V2 will have a private beta first, before seeing an eventual public release. Epic hasn’t detailed exact dates for the new launcher, but said in a February press release that it’s “in the process of rebuilding the underlying architecture of the Epic Games Store Launcher and plan to ship improvements this summer.”
Beyond the launcher improvements, Epic revealed during Unreal Fest that it would be adding a few more tweaks to its storefront. The slides shared by LuKaOnIndeed mentioned priorities like in-store patch notes, player reviews, quick-access categories and a personalized home page.
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