20:12Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
Epic Games Unveils Launcher App Coded by AI
Epic Games has released a test version of the Epic Games Launcher, which it rebuilt with the help of artificial intelligence. The company calls this approach “vibe coded” and says the program runs significantly faster than before. The new version now supports Linux and also runs on Windows and macOS. The old version will remain available for now.
Work on the program continued for most of the year. AI tools wrote and checked all of the code, while the team managed the process. AI was used to transfer key features from the old program to the new version, conduct testing and develop the Linux version. Epic Games considers this the result of its plan to accelerate software development with AI. The company emphasizes that the goal is not to reduce its workforce. According to the company’s tests, the new program launches 46% faster than Steam when starting from a fully closed state. When reopened from the system tray, the difference is 14%, although this amounts to only 0.06 seconds. Keywords Studios conducted the measurements through 5 tests on 13 systems running Windows. Although Epic Games says the library is 30 times faster, it has not explained how this was calculated or disclosed the results of its comparison with the old version. The redesigned library has a separate page for each game. All downloads are grouped in a single section, and games can be organized into categories using collections. However, the test version has some shortcomings. The social menu cannot be closed or resized. Some social features and account management options have also not yet been added. Epic Games wants to add the missing features and bring the new program to the same level as the old version. The test version runs on Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS 12 and newer systems. Linux requires at least Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Fedora 43 or Debian 12. Epic Games currently advises those working on Unreal projects, as well as competitive Fortnite and Rocket League players, to remain on the old program. The company also plans to bring Fortnite to Linux with the new program. The release date for the full version has not been announced. The transition to the new program will begin after it becomes stable and the necessary features are completed. Although the company laid off more than 1,000 employees in March, the head of Epic Games said this was unrelated to AI. The team developing the program has not completely abandoned writing code by hand. It is also reported that an unannounced Disney game has been delayed and that AI-generated code is being prioritized on that project.
Work on the program continued for most of the year. AI tools wrote and checked all of the code, while the team managed the process. AI was used to transfer key features from the old program to the new version, conduct testing and develop the Linux version. Epic Games considers this the result of its plan to accelerate software development with AI. The company emphasizes that the goal is not to reduce its workforce. According to the company’s tests, the new program launches 46% faster than Steam when starting from a fully closed state. When reopened from the system tray, the difference is 14%, although this amounts to only 0.06 seconds. Keywords Studios conducted the measurements through 5 tests on 13 systems running Windows. Although Epic Games says the library is 30 times faster, it has not explained how this was calculated or disclosed the results of its comparison with the old version. The redesigned library has a separate page for each game. All downloads are grouped in a single section, and games can be organized into categories using collections. However, the test version has some shortcomings. The social menu cannot be closed or resized. Some social features and account management options have also not yet been added. Epic Games wants to add the missing features and bring the new program to the same level as the old version. The test version runs on Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS 12 and newer systems. Linux requires at least Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Fedora 43 or Debian 12. Epic Games currently advises those working on Unreal projects, as well as competitive Fortnite and Rocket League players, to remain on the old program. The company also plans to bring Fortnite to Linux with the new program. The release date for the full version has not been announced. The transition to the new program will begin after it becomes stable and the necessary features are completed. Although the company laid off more than 1,000 employees in March, the head of Epic Games said this was unrelated to AI. The team developing the program has not completely abandoned writing code by hand. It is also reported that an unannounced Disney game has been delayed and that AI-generated code is being prioritized on that project.