Epic Games is taking another run at Valve's Steam, the dominant PC gaming storefront. According to Tom's Hardware, the company has unveiled "Launcher V2," a redesigned version of its storefront that Epic says is up to 6.5x faster than before.
Speed isn't the only pitch. Tom's Hardware reports that Epic showed off a year-long roadmap promising to add community-requested features over the next 12 months. The list includes player profiles, user reviews, and universal controller support, along with what the company describes as "much more."
The framing matters. Epic's launcher has long trailed Steam, which offers a deep set of social and discovery features that the Epic Games Store has lacked. Adding user reviews and player profiles would bring Epic closer to the kind of community-driven storefront many PC gamers expect, while a snappier interface addresses a frequent complaint about the existing launcher feeling sluggish.
Tom's Hardware characterizes the move as a "re-attempt to topple Steam," a reminder that Epic has tried before to chip away at Valve's lead, including through exclusive game releases and giveaways. This time the strategy leans on matching features and performance rather than just exclusives.
The key caveat is timing: Epic is describing a roadmap spread across the next year, so most of these features are promises rather than things players can use today.
Why it matters: more competition between PC game stores can push both Epic and Valve to improve their platforms, potentially giving players better tools, lower friction, and more choice in where they buy and manage their games.