Epic Games Store Roadmap Reveals Long-Awaited Features for 2026
Seven years after its debut, the Epic Games Store is finally preparing for a major overhaul. During the Unreal Fest event in Chicago on June 18, 2026, the company behind Fortnite pulled back the curtain on a series of upcoming updates that aim to bring its storefront closer to industry standards, with a feature list that feels remarkably similar to Valve’s Steam.
Photos from an official presentation regarding the store’s next 12 months, shared by users on Reddit, confirm that the team is prioritizing several long-requested quality-of-life improvements. The features marked as “Up First” include:
- Third-party patch notes
- Epic parties (expected to include party chat)
- Library management and storefront improvements
- Cross-region gifting
- Fortnite Chunked Installation
- Pre-Registration for F2P Games
- Storefront Rearchitecture
Beyond the immediate priorities, Epic is also mapping out a “Version 2” of the launcher, which will include a full redesign of the interface. Further down the line, the company plans to introduce written user reviews, player profiles, and improved discovery tools. Developers will also gain access to new API tools, while players can look forward to universal controller support and better social discovery features.
A Familiar Path for Epic
While these additions are undoubtedly useful, they also highlight how long it has taken for the Epic Games Store to reach feature parity with its primary competitor. For years, the store has been criticized for its lack of basic functionality, and this new roadmap essentially acts as a checklist of features that have been staples of the Steam experience for a long time.
It remains unclear how Epic plans to integrate artificial intelligence into the store or its development tools, a topic that has sparked recent controversy within the community. Just last week, the studio behind Vampire Survivors, Poncle, stated they were reviewing a future Fortnite collaboration following Epic’s recent announcements regarding generative AI.
Epic’s persistence comes after a rocky road for the storefront. Back in 2021, CEO Tim Sweeney noted that the store had lost over $300 million. Despite that, the company continues to frame its investment as a strategic play to grow its business. Whether this comprehensive update will finally turn the tide and convince the broader PC gaming audience to move away from Valve's platform is the big question for the year ahead.