Epic Games Store adds experimental “Collections” feature to tackle growing PC backlogs

The Epic Games Store is testing a new way to tame overflowing libraries with a feature called Collections, giving PC players more control over how they organize owned games. The opt-in update is rolling out gradually to users over the coming weeks.

For players who have been redeeming free weekly titles for years, the change aims to turn a long, alphabetical list into something closer to a curated shelf system, with custom folders, filters and sharing options.

What Epic’s new Collections actually do

Collections let users group games into custom lists inside the Epic Games Store launcher. Players can create their own categories, such as “Backlog for 2024,” “Finished single-player,” “Co-op with friends,” or “Low-spec laptop games,” and then drag titles into them or assign them via right-click options.

The feature works across owned and installed titles, so a game does not need to be currently on your SSD to appear in a Collection. That is especially useful for users who rotate large games on and off limited storage but still want to keep track of what to play next.

How to access Collections in the launcher

Epic is enabling Collections through a staged update. Once it appears on an account, players will see a new “Collections” section in the Library sidebar under their usual game list. Creating a list is done with a simple “New collection” button and a name field.

From there, games can be added via context menu in the library or directly from the store page of a title you already own. A single game can live in multiple collections at once, which helps if you want both a “Completed” list and a genre-based list for quick browsing.

Limited test, but hints at a bigger library strategy

Epic is treating the rollout as an experiment and is collecting feedback inside the launcher. That suggests the feature set is not final. Players can already sort within a collection by name, last played date and install status, and Epic is evaluating additional filters like playtime or genre tags.

The move is part of a broader effort to make the PC store more usable as it matures. What started as a focused launcher for a handful of exclusives and free games has become a full ecosystem for big-budget releases, indies, and third-party publishers, which in turn has created the classic “too many games, not enough structure” problem.

Why this matters to players with huge backlogs

Regular users of Epic’s weekly free games are likely sitting on libraries that rival long-time Steam accounts in size, often without the same organizational tools. Collections are a simple quality-of-life change, but they directly address three pain points: backlog planning, discovery of forgotten titles, and multiplayer coordination.

Backlog-focused players can now build seasonal or themed queues and move games between “Next up,” “On hold,” and “Completed” lists instead of relying on memory or external spreadsheets. That kind of light structure can make it easier to actually finish games instead of bouncing between new releases.

Potential for shared lists and social features

The first version of Collections is primarily personal, but the interface hints at possible sharing features later on. Curated lists of “Best couch co-op on sale,” “Short games under 5 hours,” or “Beginner-friendly strategy titles” could become a social layer for the store if Epic chooses to surface public collections.

For now, players can still share screenshots of their lists or use them while coordinating with friends on voice chat. Epic has not committed to any public publishing tools, but user behavior during the test will likely influence which direction the feature grows.

How this compares with other PC platforms

PC players who use multiple launchers often juggle different organizational systems. The new Epic approach is closest to a flexible folder system, without trying to replicate every feature from competitors or third-party library managers.

For users that split their time across several stores, Collections will not replace global tools, but it does reduce the friction of finding something to play when opening the Epic launcher specifically. It is also a signal that Epic is paying more attention to long-term library management, not just headline free games and exclusives.

What to expect next

Epic says the test phase will last through the coming months, with iterative updates based on feedback. Players can expect small interface tweaks and possibly new filter options, as well as improved performance for very large libraries.

If the experiment lands well, Collections are likely to become a standard part of the Epic Games Store experience before the end of the year, turning long lists of unplayed titles into something closer to a personalized game plan.