Epic Games is previewing a redesigned version of its PC launcher, saying it is faster and more responsive than the current one. The project also brings Linux support and offers a clear example of the company’s growing use of AI in development: Epic describes the launcher as “vibe coded,” with developers overseeing AI agents that wrote and reviewed code.
AI agents helped build the launcher
Epic says the team used AI to reproduce the existing launcher’s core functionality and to help with testing. Martin Keely, Epic’s VP and GM of the Epic Games Store and Epic Online Services, told The Verge that AI was “super helpful” in that work and helped the company offer the new launcher on Linux.
The developers remained responsible for directing the process. Keely said agents wrote and reviewed all of the code, while the team managed the work and supervised it from beginning to end. That makes the launcher an example of AI-assisted development with human oversight, rather than a project built without developers guiding it.
Epic says it has worked on the launcher for “most of this year.” Keely described the project as part of a broader company migration toward using AI in new ways, and said it demonstrated the speed and efficiency Epic hopes to achieve in development.
A preview arrives on three platforms
The new launcher preview is available on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Epic says the updated software has a new look as well as performance improvements, while the previous launcher will remain available during the preview period.
Epic has not set a date for requiring everyone to move to the new version. Keely said the company will proceed with a full launch when the update feels stable and reaches parity with the current launcher “in all places that we need.” That leaves the timing dependent on the team’s assessment of stability and feature coverage.
The Linux release is part of a larger announcement: Epic also plans to bring Fortnite to Linux through the app. The launcher preview therefore extends Epic’s reach to Linux users while tying that platform support to its existing game ecosystem.
The launcher fits a wider AI shift
Epic’s work on the launcher comes as the company makes a larger push toward AI-assisted development. CEO Tim Sweeney said the company had a “huge pivot underway,” including moving developers around to “retool for maximum AI acceleration.” He said the goal was to let teams build “MORE and BETTER stuff” and bring the benefits to teams using Unreal.
The launcher team’s approach began before Sweeney’s announcement, Keely said, but he described it as part of the same direction. He presented the project as evidence that AI can help improve both the development process and the product that reaches players.
A separate report by Bloomberg said an Epic director working on an unannounced Disney title told staffers there would be “No more hand-written code.” Keely said the launcher team had not adopted that model. The distinction matters: Epic’s launcher example involved AI-generated and AI-reviewed code, while developers continued to direct and supervise the work.
Epic says layoffs were unrelated to AI
Epic laid off more than 1,000 staffers in March. At the time, Sweeney said the layoffs were not related to AI and that productivity improvements would make the company want as many developers as possible building content and technology.
The launcher announcement places AI in the middle of Epic’s plans for development, but the company’s statements describe it as a way to accelerate work and support more output. The preview will give users a chance to assess the faster launcher and Linux support as Epic works toward stability and feature parity.