Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Join our RPG Club
  • GTA 6
  • Game of the Week
  • Countdown to GTA 6
  • G+RLS Podcast
  • Pre-order GTA 6
  • Best gaming tech
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games

Epic Games Launcher party system is on the way with drop-in/drop-out and text/voice chat

News
By Connor Sheridan
Published 18 March 2021

Epic has lots of social improvements in store

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Fortnite Shanty for a Squad emote
(Image credit: Epic Games)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

The Epic Games Launcher is getting a fully-featured party system to make it easier to play games with your friends and keep in touch even while you're just browsing around.

Epic has been steadily building out the features for its PC storefront and games launcher ever since it went live back in 2018, and the company shared some of its plans for social-related features in particular in a news post this week. While the post briefly touches on much-requested features like adding Achievements and improving the wishlist system, this update is all about the new and improved Social Panel.

Epic eventually wants to let players connect across platforms and play using the Epic Games Store, but in the shorter term, it's focused on making parties a reality for PC players. Epic plans to let players communicate via both voice and text via parties and let players drop in and drop out, with no set owner required to stay online to keep the party going (literally). You'll be able to check your party's status in-game, and you'll also be able to stay in it even if not everybody's playing the same game.

Latest Videos FromGamesRadar+
Watch full video here:

As for when the Epic Games Launcher's party system will go live, we only know that it's part of Epic's plans for 2021. However, it did confirm that new and more informative player cards for the social panel, better friend searching, Do Not Disturb, and a minimized view for social notifications are all on the way this month.

Epic isn't just making moves for its game launcher - it also recently revealed its purchase of Fall Guys developer Mediatonic.

You may like
  • A screenshot of Fortnite's Jonesy looking serious. Epic taps Blizzard's Battle.net lead to fix the Epic Games Store as Steam dominates
  • Fortnite Analyst reckons the Epic Store can't "recover" in duel with Steam, Epic GM says "the data tells a very different story"
  • Fortnite Chapter 7 Epic CEO says new multiplayer games flop because it's "impossible" to get friend groups to move

Fortnite gold bars | Fortnite bounties | Fortnite characters | Fortnite crafting | Fortnite upgrade weapons | Fortnite wolves | Fortnite golden artifacts 

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Connor Sheridan
Connor Sheridan
Social Links Navigation
Former GamesRadar+ News Writer

I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and was formerly a staff writer at GamesRadar+.

Read more
A screenshot of Fortnite's Jonesy looking serious.
PC Gaming Epic taps Blizzard's Battle.net lead to fix the Epic Games Store as Steam dominates
 
 
Fortnite
Fortnite Analyst reckons the Epic Store can't "recover" in duel with Steam, Epic GM says "the data tells a very different story"
 
 
Fortnite Chapter 7
Fortnite Epic CEO says new multiplayer games flop because it's "impossible" to get friend groups to move
 
 
Fortnite
Games Valve has "a nice thing going on" but "they're missing out on a lot of opportunity" says Epic boss
 
 
A diver holds a small disc in Subnautica 2
Survival Games Huge Subnautica 2 co-op patch adds proximity chat and a revive system
 
 
Gabe Newell in a white shirt
Games Valve just made two big changes to Steam: Wishlists are smarter, and it's now easier to gift games
 
 
Latest in Games
Super Mario Mario Kart 8's surprise Switch 2 update makes everyone faster "by the equivalent of one coin"
 
 
In a screenshot from Afterworld, a severed torch from the statue of liberty, sticks out from sand and is adorned in banners as a crowd watches someone speak on a nearby platform
Strategy Games Afterworld will be strategy royalty Paradox's "most approachable" game, and after raising cannibal fish-mutants to conquer America I'm hooked
 
 
A screenshot from the StarCraft: Remastered CG trailer.
Real Time Strategy Games StarCraft 3 rumors resurface as new report claims Nexon and IP owner Blizzard are nearly ready to finalize a deal
 
 
Banjo gives Kazooie the thumbs up in a screenshot from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Platforming Games Banjo-Kazooie composer says "like 3 companies" have pitched a new entry in the series
 
 
Half-Life 2 G man
Games Nexus Mods, "the biggest modding platform in the world," has just acquired SteamDB
 
 
Yuffie, Barret, and Tifa in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation parachute towards a land mass
Events & Conferences How to watch the PlayStation State of Play for September 2026 and what to expect including Final Fantasy 7 Revelation
 
 
Latest in News
Super Mario Mario Kart 8's surprise Switch 2 update makes everyone faster "by the equivalent of one coin"
 
 
Austin Abrams as Bryan in Resident Evil
Horror Movies The Resident Evil movie popcorn bucket is gross, but surprisingly functional
 
 
A screenshot from the StarCraft: Remastered CG trailer.
Real Time Strategy Games StarCraft 3 rumors resurface as new report claims Nexon and IP owner Blizzard are nearly ready to finalize a deal
 
 
Banjo gives Kazooie the thumbs up in a screenshot from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Platforming Games Banjo-Kazooie composer says "like 3 companies" have pitched a new entry in the series
 
 
Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt in a gladiator arena in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies The Mandalorian and Grogu features a hidden Han Solo Easter egg in a Rotta the Hutt scene
 
 
Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom on the Avengers: Doomsday poster
Marvel Movies Avengers: Doomsday director Joe Russo says going into production without a script allowed for "magic"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Austin Abrams as Bryan in Resident Evil
    1
    The Resident Evil movie popcorn bucket is gross, but surprisingly functional
  2. 2
    Afterworld will be strategy royalty Paradox's "most approachable" game, and after raising cannibal fish-mutants to conquer America I'm hooked
  3. 3
    8BitDo and SteelSeries have combined forces to create a whimsical Xbox Cozy Collection of gaming accessories
  4. 4
    Nexus Mods, "the biggest modding platform in the world," has just acquired SteamDB
  5. 5
    StarCraft 3 rumors resurface as new report claims Nexon and IP owner Blizzard are nearly ready to finalize a deal

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...