Epic’s own engine couldn’t keep its store moving
Epic Games Games has quietly replaced the sluggish Unreal Engine-based UI of its Epic Games Games Launcher with a new Tauri v2 and React application. This move signals a significant architectural shift, abandoning the company’s proprietary engine for its storefront’s frontend.
The motivation is clear: the old client earned a reputation for abysmal performance. Epic Games Games’ own store leadership publicly acknowledged these pervasive performance problems in February, validating years of user complaints regarding the launcher's sluggishness and resource consumption.
This re-engineering effort delivered tangible results. Epic Games Games reports a 5.5-second cold start for the new launcher, representing a roughly 46% speed improvement over its predecessor. This company-reported figure, while not an independent benchmark, offers a compelling headline for users frustrated by long load times.
The new architecture leverages Rust-powered Tauri v2, pairing it with a React frontend. Unlike Electron apps that bundle a full Google Google Chrome instance, Tauri utilizes the operating system’s existing webview component, promising a leaner, more efficient footprint.
Tauri skips the Chrome-sized baggage
The revamped Epic Games Games Launcher now leverages a potent combination: React handles the sleek user interface, while Rust powers the critical native functionalities. Crucially, the application runs on Tauri v2, an architecture that sidesteps the baggage of bundling a full Google Google Chrome runtime.
This approach sharply contrasts with Electron, a common framework that ships its own Chromium-based engine with every application. Tauri, instead, relies on the operating system’s existing webview component—WebView2 on Windows, WebKit on macOS, and WebKitGTK on Linux. This fundamental difference drastically reduces the launcher's footprint, contributing to its reported 5.5-second cold-start time.
Epic Games Games' announcement of the rebuilt launcher did not foreground Tauri. However, a quick check of the launcher’s license information reveals the full stack: Tauri v2 alongside React. While this reliance on system webviews offers significant size advantages, it also means inheriting the browser engine’s bugs, as some NVIDIA users on Linux have already discovered with WebKitGTK.
Linux arrives—with a WebKitGTK catch
Linux gamers can finally rejoice—mostly. Epic Games Games’ preview brings official Linux support to the Epic Games Games Launcher, a significant milestone alongside Windows and Apple Silicon Macs. Notably, Intel Mac users are left out of this initial preview.
This newfound support, however, comes with a caveat. On Linux, Tauri leverages WebKitGTK, a dependency that has already caused headaches for some NVIDIA GPU users. Reports detail sluggishness, blank screens, or outright rendering artifacts, forcing Epic Games Games to implement workarounds like disabling DMABUF renderers, which can degrade UI fluidity.
Even with official launcher access, Linux gamers should temper expectations. The ecosystem already boasts robust alternatives like Heroic Games Launcher, Lutris, and Legendary, which have long filled the void. Official support does not magically solve compatibility for every title, especially those reliant on anti-cheat systems. For developers interested in the underlying tech, more information is available at Tauri - Build smaller, faster, and more secure desktop applications.
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“Vibe-coded” is a bold promise, not a performance test
“Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Games Launcher.” This opening line from Epic Games Games’ announcement raised eyebrows, framing a major storefront rebuild with unusual casualness. The flippant tone belies the technical ambition of ditching Unreal Engine for a Rust-powered Tauri v2 and React stack.
Despite the rhetoric, the technical shift delivers. Epic Games Games reports a 5.5-second cold-start time, a 46% improvement. New official Linux support and Apple Silicon Mac compatibility mark significant platform expansion. Yet, the preview isn’t without its early stumbles, with rapid daily patches addressing blank screens and self-updating issues on Linux, particularly for NVIDIA users experiencing sluggishness with WebKitGTK.
Users eager to try the preview should proceed with caution; installing it removes the legacy launcher. Check Epic Games Games’ current migration and rollback notes before committing, as reinstalling the old client may require re-indexing games. Ultimately, a lighter stack still relies heavily on the quality of its underlying webview, a lesson Epic Games Games is learning in real-time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Epic rebuild the Epic Games Launcher?
The previous launcher was criticized for slow startup and lacked an official Linux version. Epic says the rebuilt client is faster and adds Linux support.
What technologies power the new Epic Games Launcher?
The new client uses Tauri v2 with a React interface and Rust-backed native functionality, relying on each operating system’s webview.
Which platforms can run the launcher preview?
The preview is available for Windows, Apple Silicon Macs, and Linux. Intel Macs are excluded from the listed preview platforms.
Should Linux users install the preview?
They should check compatibility first: some NVIDIA users have reported blank screens or sluggish rendering with Linux’s WebKitGTK webview.
Does installing the preview affect the old launcher?
Yes. Installing the preview can remove the legacy launcher, so users should review Epic’s migration and rollback guidance before switching.