Ubisoft’s Shift in Gaming Experience
For years, players have navigated the cumbersome requirement of launching Ubisoft games through Steam, only to be met with the necessity of opening Ubisoft Connect, the publisher’s proprietary desktop launcher. This dual-launch system has often been a source of frustration, not just for Ubisoft, but also for other major players in the industry like EA and Rockstar, who have similarly enforced their own launchers.
However, a notable change is on the horizon for Ubisoft. With the upcoming release of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, the company is embarking on a new approach by “testing” the elimination of the Ubisoft Connect launcher entirely. Instead, a new tool called Ubisoft Connect Services Steam will operate in the background, facilitating essential features such as cross-progression, cross-play, player safety, challenges, and rewards.
The announcement from Steam indicates a commitment to enhancing the user experience: “We will continue to iterate and improve Ubisoft Connect Services over time, with the goal of delivering the features and services players use and expect while making the Steam experience as seamless as possible.”
While this shift suggests a more streamlined gaming experience, it is likely that players will still need a Ubisoft Connect account. This setup may resemble the model used by Diablo 4, which requires a Battle.net account but does not necessitate launching the Battle.net application itself.
Looking ahead, Ubisoft has promised that this new method will extend to additional titles in their portfolio. This development is particularly welcomed by gamers who have hesitated to dive into titles like Rainbow Six Siege due to the inconvenience of launching multiple applications. In a recent assessment of PC gaming launchers, Ubisoft’s platform was rated near the bottom, highlighting the widespread desire for improvement in this area.
