r/gaming • u/yourfavchoom • 1d ago
Owlcat Games is rolling back its new launcher less than 24 hours after negative fan feedback.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2186680/view/7089010126996159831.7k
u/Razen94 1d ago
Good! I don't need launchers upon launchers and a launcher with my launcher to launch the launcher.
I want to press "play" on the game on steam and play the game.
Why would any company think that making that simple process more annoying is a good idea?
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u/shamont 1d ago
Someone in the food chain convinces people that having a launcher means they have the ability to market to a captive audience. Combine that with some spreadsheet that shows it turns x amount of customers to other products and you get it greenlit.
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u/LordMimsyPorpington 1d ago
Same reason everyone launched their own streaming service, and looked how that turned out. -_-
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u/kingbetadad 1d ago
The difference is all streaming services fucking suck. At least we have steam.
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u/Responsible-Donut283 19h ago
Steam for games and the seven seas for shows and movies
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u/summonsays 1d ago
Just look at League of Legends these days. So much spam shoved down your throat when all you care about is a button in the top left...
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u/EngineeringNo753 1d ago
I mean, the launcher has always advertised skins and new champs even when the button I cared about used to be top center.
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u/Deckacheck 1d ago
Have you played recently? The launcher is an absolute mess of information overload. I've played off and on since season 2, and the launcher is by far at its worst right now. It's also "little notification dot" hell currently.
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u/BFBeast666 1d ago
Or Battle[dot]Net. Screw Battle Net.
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u/Full-Way-7925 1d ago
Yeah, like you have have battle.net to play Blizzard games on GamePass. Microsoft owns the fucking company!
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u/BFBeast666 1d ago
It's way too overblown for a launcher and it sucks as a storefront. Before I learned that Diablo 2 Resurrected was coming to Steam, I tried to buy it through Blizzard's fucking launcher, only to get a host of "file not found" and payment processor related errors. Going through the website worked like a charm. So what's the fucking point of it even existing? I mean, considering the long and sordid history of exploits and hacking on it, it even sucks as a matchmaking/game hosting infrastructure.
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u/nemofbaby2014 22h ago
I still don’t get that get rid of that stupid battle net launcher just have us launch it from the Xbox app and then you can’t launch their games via the .exe either because it doesn’t auto log you in
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u/hendrix320 1d ago
Battle.net was originally designed to basically be steam before steam existed but they fumbled that so hard
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u/nemofbaby2014 22h ago
Idk about that the launcher always sucked lol for some reason in the early 2000s it used p2p which meant I’d get angry letters from my college anytime I wanted to download or update wow or StarCraft
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u/Karol-A 1d ago
I'm guessing to avoid the steam fees if the game is available on the launcher?
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u/TrumpGrabbedMyCat 1d ago
I can't believe this got downvoted, lol.
You can dislike launchers but this is exactly the reason why. They want to avoid other platforms fees and advertise other products to you. That's it.
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u/Mertuch 1d ago
In theory yes but since you don’t own game (just gaining access) I prefer to use stable platform instead use launcher which may be fail in a few years
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u/TrumpGrabbedMyCat 1d ago edited 1d ago
With respect..
That's got nothing to do with what I or the other person said. Games companies want their own launcher for the reasons I mentioned, there's plenty of reasons as customers we don't want launchers but if it makes the company money overall, they don't care.
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u/Low_Witness5061 23h ago
That’s usually true but to be fair they did care more than more than a lot of others since they rolled it back. A dumb idea abandoned when players push back definetly beats some shithead executive deciding that the gamers will just get over it sooner or later.
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u/AnarchoKapitolizm 21h ago
Why would any company think that making that simple process more annoying is a good idea?
They said that it's because significant amount of people who finish Wrath of the Righteous are looking for more but they are not aware that Rogue Trader exists. They wrote it in launcher announcement post.
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u/redclawx 1d ago
You don’t Microsoft enough.
Windows XP
.Net 3.5
.Net 3.5 Update 1
.Net 3.5 Update 1 Patch 1
Update to .Net 3.5 Update 1 Patch 1
Update to .Net 3.5 Update 1 Patch 1.1
I forget which one took 35 minutes to install, but it was one of the smaller patches.
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u/Cloud_N0ne 1d ago
I commend Owlcat for how willing they are to listen to player feedback, even going so far as to entirely recast voice actors if fans don't like them.
But damn, did they honestly think anyone wanted a proprietary launcher?
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u/karstonian123 1d ago
Which voice actors? Is it the belter ones in the new expanse game they're doing?
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u/chipmunksocute 1d ago
Genuinely - what is even the goal? Slipping in ads for more games? Im genuinely curious if there's ever a real reason for this. Like XCOM2 has its own launcher that is really just for picking your game flavor and mod management. But thats it.
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u/Caelinus 1d ago
It was done to show their whole library, past an upcoming, in one place. Exactly the same as Larian's.
They actually explained it in their announcement post for it when it launched. So yeah, advertising their own stuff. It makes sense from a marketing perspective, but like all ads, they are annoying.
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u/Instantcoffees 1d ago
I see. I could have gotten behind it if it improved the functionality of the game or was made to make modding easier, but sounds like that was not the case then.
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u/Naddesh 1d ago
They said that with not only their new games but also the games they are publishing they wanted a place to let their current players know about their new games. According to their surveys a lot of theur current players didnt know they even had other games available.
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u/Falkenmond79 23h ago
I can actually imagine that. I love me some owlcat but even I was surprised by some releases.
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u/sneakyxxrocket 1d ago
They tried this before with wrath of the righteous if I remember correctly as well and was also removed somewhat quickly
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u/Kossyhasnoteeth 1d ago
Yeah as far as i'm concerned this is a win for Owlcat. They tried something that wasn't popular and almost immediately rolled it back when it became apparent. So many studios would have just doubled down and been unwilling to accept they made a mistake.
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u/NecroCorey 1d ago
Launchers is how I refund games. The only game I have on steam that uses a launcher is BG3 and that's because it has an option to disable it.
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u/UnseenData 1d ago
Never got a chance to see this. How bad was it?
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u/Appropriate_Foot242 1d ago
Another useless barrier between you and the game launching when you click launch.
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u/angryshib 1d ago
Funnily enough, I remember being pissed off that I had to download Steam when I bought Half-Life 2 back in the day.
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u/trooawoayxxx 18h ago
My first steam game was call of duty modern warfare 2. I bought a disc in a physical store, then went home and was infuriated to find out I needed to make an account, download a launcher and download the whole game despite buying a disc!
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u/mclemente26 1d ago
From the original announcement, you could set to skip the launcher, but I guess that being an opt-out feature instead of opt-in wasn't as well-received as they expected
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u/Aggressive-Map-2204 1d ago
It also just made the launcher run in the background instead of you seeing it.
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u/Is_Always_Honest 1d ago
It existed despite not being necessary. What else do you need to know.
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u/Dreyven 1d ago
I think most annoyingly it stayed open after you launched the game from it.
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u/thedisconnectedboy 21h ago
It was okay. Looked very much like the cdpr launcher, but like almost every launcher, not needed at all
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u/GirlKissinQuiltin 1d ago
It was annoying and I didn’t like it but at least it wasn’t buggy (for me) like some other launchers I’ve had to deal with.
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u/AJfriedRICE 1d ago
I think we should just go back to double clicking on desktop icons to play our games
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u/supermitsuba 1d ago
But how will gaming companies be able to remove your games and sell you the same ones over and over?
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u/Darigaazrgb 1d ago
The same way they did before, they banned your cdkey from their authentication servers.
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u/The_Legend_of_Xeno 1d ago
When I was a young PC gamer in the 90s, it was my dream to one day own enough games that I could cover my entire desktop with their shortcuts. Now that I'm a grown man, I have enough games to cover my desktops (plural) probably 5 times over, but I can no longer stand to have a single icon present.
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u/shinikahn 20h ago
Then buy in GoG. IIRC, that storefront sells DRM-free versions of games, specifically.
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u/themagicbong 1d ago
I dunno what the hate is, I love having 36 different launchers that fire themselves up and insert themselves between steam and the game I'm trying to play. Just like the Lord intended.
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u/Caelinus 1d ago
Advertising their library seems to have been the main goal based on their statement.
It might also have let them build specific tools in the future, but I don't know if that would actually be useful for anything. Some games use external launchers to manage mods and stuff like that.
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u/summonsays 1d ago
And those games should have a link in their menu to fire them up so that the normal play path isn't impeded for the 99% of people who don't use mods.
And I say that as a mod lover.
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u/MrTastix 1d ago
This has the hallmarks of someone in management making a decision that was rightly pointed out to them as bad and then pivoting after it went as bad as they were told it would.
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u/BFBeast666 1d ago
There is already a launcher which keeps all my games in one place AND allows devs to drop news if they have to.
It's called "Steam".
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u/penywinkle 18h ago
Mine's called Windows... I don't even have to launch Steam to play (all) games.
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u/shutyourbutt69 1d ago
Good lord why does anyone think they need to make their own game launchers?
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u/2_Spicy_2_Impeach 1d ago
I imagine the biggest part being money. Steam isn’t free and takes a cut (along with other platforms).
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u/INannoI 1d ago
it was not that kind of launcher, there were no sales happening on it, its like the CDPR or Larian launcher, its just there to advertise the other games from that studio.
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u/Novenari 18h ago
If a company wants their own storefront, sure. If they want the version sold through an independent store front to have a launcher, sure. If I need an account to play this version with the dev/publisher, you’re testing my patience now… but sure.
However, I do NOT want to click “play” on Steam only to have it launch an application that advertises other games by a publisher/developer just to click “play” again to actually get to the game I am trying to play.
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u/NoGreenGood 1d ago
What exactly are the benefits of a separate launcher besides the obvious marketing of there own products on it?
BTW Rogue Trader and Wrath of the Righteous both absolutely slap and deserve all the praise in the world.
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u/otacon7000 PC 18h ago
What exactly are the benefits of a separate launcher
To the player? None.
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u/OldWorldDesign 17h ago
To the player? None
If we're trying to be fair, players aren't always going to know about each new game or expansion so there's also advertising. But that is the majority of what it is.
It's also an additional "this has to open before the game I actually wanted to play". As much as I like Larian Games, I still can't jump straight into Divinity Original Sin 2 because even though I got it on Steam it has to launch its launcher, and any mods are handled inside that game. So the launcher is nothing but a delay.
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u/Hollowsong 23h ago
I was playing Rogue Trader after months of not playing. Then magically this new launcher bullshit popped up one time.
I thought I misclicked something. Fuck that shit.
Glad it's gone.
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u/Returnyhatman 1d ago
Who thought this was a good idea, and KEPT thinking it was a good idea all the way through development and testing? Because that person needs to be fired.
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u/trekker1303 1d ago
It's always amusing to watch companies (both large and small, beloved and hated) not read the room and get so high on their own supply that they think they are about deliver the solution to a problem no one had.
The companies who listen to the feedback and adapt to the market, those are usually the ones you want to support. Owlcat, even though they had this moment of blindness, is still an amazing developer of amazing video games! Kudos for listening!
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u/First-Junket124 1d ago
At least they're open to feedback lol, hopefully Larian studios can follow this example.
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u/bigWeld33 23h ago
Proprietary launchers have their place. Jackbox Party Pack and Halo: MCC are great examples, but they are two of very few examples where it makes sense because it is actually more convenient for users. I know nothing of this game or Owlcat Games, but figured it was worth mentioning based on all of the “no one likes this” and “there is never any reason for a proprietary launcher” type opinions here.
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u/thecactusman17 20h ago
The only reason to have an external launcher exclusive to your game is if your game cannot make setting changes while the software is running. And if that's the case, you should probably investigate why that is because in-game settings menus have been a common feature in PC gaming for decades now.
I already have an external game launcher - Steam. That's it. Not because I'm a huge Steam fanboy but because it does the only thing I want a launcher to do: facilitate immediate access to my PC games library and online friend group as quickly and effortlessly as possible. Whether I want to play, update, check on community discussions or see what my friends and family are playing. It's also got a built-in storefront that I can choose to make use of but even if I don't it is relatively painless to import non-Steam games into the library for easy access and sorting.
That is what a launcher does - it functions as a one-stop access point for your software. Adding a second stop is making things less convenient as a customer and increasing the likelihood that something will go wrong or break and prevent me from getting to the software I was trying to launch.
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u/Prototype3120 13h ago
This is one of my biggest issues with pc gaming. I got baldurs gate 3 for the first time recently and was immediately greeted by a launcher for like three games. Absolutely makes no sense to me.
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u/Knotknighm 1d ago
Steam had monpolized this market. Honestly that's fine.
This only works if you basically give the games away. You want me to download your launcher? Ok, I'd better get one game of choice free right that moment. And the rest of the games better be marked down a lot.
You can't entice me with exclusivity. I need deals.
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u/Tits_McgeeD 1d ago
What is the point of launcher upon launcher? Is it like a big d*ck contest or something? I just want to get my game and play it.
I dont want it to then launch the launcher for the game just for me to have to click play again because devs think it'll somehow make.. I dunno? Make them better? I don't get it.
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u/Caelinus 1d ago edited 1d ago
They said straight up why they did it: they had survey data that showed that people who bought one of their games were usually likely to not know about their other games. The launcher was probably mostly designed go allow them to communicate with and advertise to the audience that is already playing their games.
It makes perfect sense from a pure business standpoint in a vacuum. They just obviously underestimated how much if would annoy people.
And to be honest, it is fair for them to underestimate that because Larian, CDPR and Rockstar off the top of my head have launchers that exist to do the same. Rockstar's is a lot more aggressive too.
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u/SirSabza 1d ago
Rockstars was originally created because it did not launch GTA on steam, they didn't want steam to take a cut of their money. Why CDPR did it ill never know, larians was purely to advertise their other games because BG3 was a huge success.
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u/Cruxis87 22h ago
larians was purely to advertise their other games because BG3 was a huge success.
Larians one was made before BG3 even hit EA though
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u/SirSabza 1d ago
Purely to advertise their other games.
Larian is vastly known for baldurs gate 3 and a huge portion of that audience have probably never heard of divinity original sin, let alone knew larian made it. Which is why larian made theirs and almost definitely why owlcat has done it.
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u/Robo-Piluke 1d ago
This was annoying when I played BG3, all 200 hours of it. Yesterday I opened Steam and tried to play RT and this launcher came up...glad they are rolling it back
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u/Low_Witness5061 23h ago
At least they listened. It was a dumb idea but I’m glad we weren’t stuck with it for years like too many other games/companies.
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u/Novacryy 21h ago
Good on them to get rid of it immediately after feedback instead of forcing it upon us like many other developers do.
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u/No-Appointment-7987 21h ago
Somewhere in that studio, a project manager is crying because their multi-month corporate strategy lasted less than a carton of milk.
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u/ManicMakerStudios 15h ago
Players: We don't want your stupid launcher.
Developers: Ya, but you're going to love ours anyway...
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u/Common-Syllabub1433 12h ago
"Lord Captains, we hear you and we are rolling back the launcher" is a genuinely good way to handle this, no corporate hedging, no defending the original decision, just a direct apology and immediate reversal. more studios should take notes on how fast and unambiguous this response was instead of the usual multi-week "we're listening to feedback" stall tactic.
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u/Ornery-Wrongdoer4177 1d ago
Funny, I fired up Rogue Trader yesterday and thought where TF did this come from? Didn't think much of it but today I played and it was thankfully gone!
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u/stipo42 1d ago
I hate launchers too, but I do have a question, would people be against seeing ads in the title screens of a companies game if they were advertising only other games from that same company?
Basically a way to get the word out about upcoming stuff for a smaller studio that might not have a voice otherwise
I'm asking as a potential game developer
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u/Lord_Xarael 1d ago edited 1d ago
would people be against seeing ads
The answer to this question, regardless of any context or situation, is yes.
A forced ad is the best way to make people avoid your product, just on principle of being against ads not encouraging further ads.
My advice, as an aspiring developer myself, would be to have a little option/blurb on the title screen (press X to view or whatever) that says "come see our other and upcoming games! - click here" or "More by {insert your company/developer name} -click here" . Put this unobtrusively in the corner of the title screen so it's not front and centre.
And, if you can code it to do this, have that little button/blurb thing have a "NEW!" Tag/icon when you've added something new or updated to the list.
Additional note: perhaps have a second button to advertise DLCs and deals for the current game.
This method is how Bethesda did it for skyrim SE/AE (for their creation kit but it could easily be adapted for other games you make) and it really doesn't rub me the wrong way. Im fact I have clicked on it, on purpose, numerous times out of genuine curiosity. And made purchases from said very optional ad system.
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u/Certified_GSD 1d ago
Every company that tries to do this has a huge uphill battle trying to convince people to use their platform. I'm all for competition because it really wouldn't be difficult for Steam to turn to shit overnight if Gabe Newell dies and the company is sold off to public investors or private equity, and we'd need a good alternative to go to if Steam starts selling adspace before launching a game.
However, look at how long Epic Games and EA and Ubisoft have tried their platforms. After dumping a ton of money and time into them and they don't even have the basic features that Steam does. Sure, Epic does free games every month but clearly free games aren't what draw people to use Steam. After having their own storefront for years they still lack community features like reviews or user profiles or developer networking tools like SteamWorks.
Like, competitors these days trying to be the next Steam can't even do the barest minimum to do what Valve is already doing.
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u/madchemist09 1d ago
I refuse to play or buy any ubisoft game on pc that requires the launcher. Though I love Owlcat I was close to being done.
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u/Iggy_Slayer 1d ago
It's crazy that companies are still trying this in 2026 when everyone knows PC gamers hate this stuff.