Epic Games Store is rebuilding its launcher from the ground up to address long-standing performance issues and lack of social features, aiming to compete more effectively with Steam's dominant market position.
Epic Games is finally addressing years of criticism about its PC game launcher with a complete architectural overhaul that promises faster performance, better stability, and enhanced social features.
The Problem: A Launcher That 'Sucks'
After more than seven years since its debut, the Epic Games Store launcher has been widely criticized for sluggish performance and limited functionality. Steve Allison, General Manager of Epic Games Store, didn't mince words when describing the current state: "The launcher sucks. Let's call it what it is. It's really slow."
The core issue stems from the launcher's architecture, which makes repeated calls to backend services every time users navigate through the interface. This design choice results in noticeable delays that become particularly frustrating when compared to Steam's more responsive experience.
The Solution: Complete Rebuild
Epic has been working on the revamped launcher since November 2025, with plans to ship the improvements this summer. The company is rebuilding the underlying architecture to eliminate the performance bottlenecks that have plagued the platform.
Key improvements include:
- Faster load times through optimized backend communication
- Greater stability across different connection speeds
- A more responsive storefront interface
- Enhanced social features including avatars and player profiles
- Private messaging capabilities
Social Features Finally Coming
One of the most significant gaps in Epic's offering has been the lack of social infrastructure. Allison acknowledged this shortcoming, noting that even console platforms offer better social features than the current Epic Games Store.
"We have no social framework in the store, like other stores — even console platforms — which have the ability to communicate with your friends, and we just kind of stripped that out during COVID and never brought it back."
Epic plans to reintroduce these social capabilities with:
- Player avatars and customizable profiles
- Private messaging system
- Voice chat integration
- Game-independent party systems
- Extended social framework for other developers through Epic Online Services
The social features will roll out in phases, with text chat becoming available to other developers later this year, followed by voice chat and party systems in Q2.
Market Position and Competition
Despite offering developers a more favorable 88-12 revenue split compared to Steam's 70-30 model, Epic Games Store currently holds only about 10% of the PC gaming market. Valve's Steam maintains a dominant 90% share, presenting a significant challenge for Epic's growth ambitions.
Epic aims to capture 30-40% of the market within the next five years. This aggressive target reflects the company's confidence in its ability to compete more effectively once the launcher improvements are implemented.
The Road Ahead
Allison expressed optimism about Epic's competitive prospects, stating that "the battle has not been lost at all." This determination mirrors the company's broader strategy of investing heavily in platform improvements to challenge Steam's market dominance.
However, Epic faces additional challenges beyond technical improvements. CEO Tim Sweeney's vocal positions on various industry issues, particularly regarding AI, have sometimes alienated portions of the gaming community. The contrast with Valve's more reserved leadership approach, embodied by the widely respected Gabe Newell, highlights the importance of community perception in the competitive gaming platform market.
Industry Context
The Epic Games Store's struggles reflect broader challenges in disrupting established platform monopolies. Steam's decade-long head start has created network effects that make it difficult for competitors to gain traction, even when offering better terms for developers.
Epic's strategy of securing exclusive titles and offering free games weekly has helped build its user base, but the company recognizes that sustainable growth requires a compelling user experience that rivals or exceeds Steam's offerings.
What This Means for Gamers
For PC gamers, the upcoming changes represent a potential shift in the digital distribution landscape. A faster, more stable Epic Games Store with robust social features could provide genuine competition to Steam, potentially benefiting consumers through improved services and competitive pricing.
The success of this overhaul will largely depend on execution. Epic has the resources and determination to challenge Steam's dominance, but delivering on these promises will be crucial for winning over skeptical gamers who have grown accustomed to Steam's ecosystem.
As the summer launch approaches, the gaming community will be watching closely to see if Epic can transform its "sucks" launcher into a legitimate competitor that offers a compelling alternative to Steam's established platform.
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