Epic Game Store finally welcomes preloading function: Support downloading games 5 days before release

　　Epic Game Store recently officially added a game preload function, allowing users to download specific works in advance before the game is officially released. Preloading, as a standard practice in the field of digital game distribution, has long been a missing feature of the Epic platform and has not been filled until now.

　　In 2024, data shows that Epic game store users have approached 300 million. Although the platform continues to grow, it has always been criticized for the lack of basic functions such as preloading and other long-term calls for by players. Seven years after it was launched, the platform finally began to make up for these functional shortcomings.

In a brief community announcement, the Epic Game Store announced that developers can now enable preloading functions for pre-sale games on the Windows platform, and players can start downloading at the latest 5 days before the game is officially released. According to the store page, games that support preloading will be marked with a clear logo, and users only need to click on the dedicated button on the store page to start the download. Currently, this feature is only available on Windows platforms. The macOS version is not open yet, and Apple users are still unable to use the preload service.

　It is worth noting that the Steam platform, as the main competitor of Epic, has provided preloading functions as early as the early stages of its inception, making it the standard configuration for the first day of digital game launch. Epic users can now finally enter the game instantly on the first day without lagging behind other players due to download delays. It should be noted that the preload function needs to be used in conjunction with game pre-orders, and users are required to update the launcher to the latest version.

　　At present, players' focus has shifted to whether the platform will launch a Steam-based evaluation system. Although the Epic game store continues to improve, surpassing the existing five-star scoring system and establishing a more complete and detailed evaluation system is still one of the users' strongest functional demands.