Epic Games has publicly acknowledged the long-standing criticisms regarding the performance and user experience of its PC game launcher. Following years of player feedback and internal recognition of its shortcomings, the company is embarking on a significant initiative to reconstruct the platform's underlying architecture. This comprehensive overhaul aims to deliver a dramatically improved, faster, and more user-friendly experience, addressing issues like slow loading times and intermittent login problems that have plagued users since its inception in 2018. The move signifies a renewed focus on player satisfaction, promising a more robust and engaging environment for the vast library of titles accumulated by gamers.
For a considerable period, users have noted that the Epic Games Launcher frequently exhibited sluggishness and a tendency to require repeated logins. These frustrations were not lost on Epic's leadership. Last year, Tim Sweeney, the head of Epic, candidly described the launcher as "clunky." More recently, Steven Allison, Vice President and General Manager of the Epic Games Store, further underscored these issues in an interview with Eurogamer, explicitly stating, "the launcher sucks. Let's call it what it is. It's really slow." This frank admission highlights the company's awareness of the platform's deficiencies and its determination to rectify them.
Allison elaborated that many of these problems stem from the launcher's reliance on making numerous backend service calls with every user interaction, which contributes significantly to lag, particularly on slower internet connections. While Epic's development efforts have historically prioritized developer tools, there's now a distinct shift towards enhancing the player experience. The team is dedicated to "pulling the guts out, putting new guts in," implying a fundamental redesign rather than superficial fixes. The objective is to achieve a noticeable improvement in speed and responsiveness, leading to a perception among users that the launcher no longer suffers from its previous performance issues. Furthermore, plans are underway to integrate community features, a notable addition given the platform's current lack of social spaces, which some users view as a double-edged sword, avoiding the toxicity sometimes found on other platforms like Steam.
Despite these promises of transformation, a sense of cautious optimism prevails among the user base. The acknowledgment of the launcher's deficiencies is appreciated, yet this is not the first time Epic has conceded such issues. The platform's history since its 2018 launch has been marked by persistent performance complaints. While the current commitment to a complete internal restructuring and the addition of new features like community forums are encouraging, many players will be keenly observing whether these efforts translate into a consistently reliable and enjoyable user experience. The coming year will be crucial in demonstrating Epic's ability to deliver on its pledges and move past its annual tradition of acknowledging an underperforming launcher.