Steam client outpaces Epic's new launcher
The gist
Valve's Oct 13 Steam update improved startup, and a user's clip showed Steam opening in 5.23 seconds.
The speed claims come from different tests, so the race is unsettled.
How it unfolded
- Sep 2026Steam's beta client was already receiving startup improvements.
- Oct 13, 2026Valve released a stable Steam Client update listing "Improved Steam Client startup performance," which also stops the Steam window from stealing focus if users switch apps during startup.
- Oct 14, 2026Epic Games released a preview of its rebuilt, "vibe coded" Epic Games Launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux, claiming it opens to the store page 46% faster than Steam from a cold start.