Epic Games Maps 12-Month Launcher V2 Overhaul, Promising 5x Faster Store and Controller Support
Updated
Updated · Tom's Hardware · Jun 19
Epic Games Maps 12-Month Launcher V2 Overhaul, Promising 5x Faster Store and Controller Support
3 articles · Updated · Tom's Hardware · Jun 19
Summary
Epic Games said its next 12 months of Launcher V2 updates will center on a personalized storefront, player profiles, user reviews and universal controller support aimed at closing the gap with Steam.
Internal benchmarks claim the rebuilt launcher opens 5x faster from a cold boot and restores 6.5x faster from the system tray, though Epic tested on a high-end 32-core Threadripper system with 128GB of RAM.
The rollout is staged: Fortnite chunked installation, cross-region gifting and a private beta come first, followed by a public beta and later the redesigned store and controller tools.
Patch notes integrated into store pages, update notifications, game-independent parties, DMs and third-party communities are part of the broader push to make Epic's launcher a fuller platform rather than just a storefront.
Amid massive layoffs, is Epic's ambitious store roadmap a genuine user upgrade or a desperate gamble to finally challenge Steam?
Will developers embrace Epic's costly ecosystem, or will Steam's network effect prove insurmountable for a company facing significant financial pressure?