2K has officially announced the removal of its launcher from all PC games available on Steam and the Epic Games Store. This includes the discontinuation of the 2K Launcher Beta for Sid Meier’s Civilization V.
In a statement, 2K confirmed, “As of November 18, 2024, the 2K Launcher has been removed from every game that used it on Epic and Steam. Additionally, we also removed the ‘2K Launcher Beta’ from Sid Meier’s Civilization V.” Following this change, a follow-up update was released on November 25 via Steam to ensure the complete removal of the launcher. Players may notice that the 2KLauncher folder has been replaced with a text file named 2kLauncherRemoved.txt, which can be safely deleted.
While 2K has undertaken significant efforts to streamline the gaming experience, they caution that some titles may still encounter issues post-removal. “We’ve done the heavy lifting, but to take it all the way home there might be one step left for you,” the company advised. They recommend fully closing and reopening Steam, or rebooting the PC to ensure the changes take effect. For Epic Games users, ensuring the latest game update is downloaded is essential.
With this update, several popular titles, including Bioshock Remastered, Bioshock 2 Remastered, Bioshock Infinite, The Quarry, and Marvel’s Midnight Suns, will now launch directly into gameplay upon clicking Play.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Why is the 2K Launcher still opening when I launch the game on Steam? I thought you said you removed it?
A: If you are not seeing the updated launch flow, a simple restart of Steam will resolve the issue. Sometimes changes in launch options are only applied the next time Steam itself is opened. Turning it off and on again legitimately works here – just make sure you are fully closing Steam and not just minimizing it. - Q: Why don’t I see these Steam launch options when I use my Desktop Shortcut?
A: Steam will always open whatever the top launch option on the Steam Launch Option list is when launching a game from a Desktop shortcut, even if you have selected one of the other options as your preferred option. If you prefer to use one of the other options, you will need to launch the game through Steam itself rather than the game’s Desktop Shortcut. - Q: Does this mean you uninstalled the 2K Launcher from my PC?
A: The 2K Launcher files may still be present on your computer. If you’d like to delete them, please see our [2K Launcher] Removing 2K Launcher Files article. - Q: Will this impact my game’s save files?
A: No, your saved games shouldn’t be impacted by this change. - Q: I’ve been bypassing the 2K Launcher, will this impact me?
A: Technically no, this wouldn’t impact you and your game will continue to run like before. Since the command you’re using will now be unnecessary, you can continue to use that launch option or remove it entirely. - Q: Will I lose access to any of my games?
A: No, so long as you purchased the game on Steam or Epic, you’ll continue to have access to it on that platform. - Q: I’m still having the same issues in my game as when I was using the 2K Launcher, why aren’t my issues fixed?
A: Since this update only removed the 2K Launcher and adjusted launch flows, this means the issue you’re experiencing was unrelated. In this case, we recommend you submit a support ticket. - Q: Can I still use the 2K Launcher if I want to?
A: We currently have no plans to allow an optional 2K Launcher setting, but we appreciate your interest.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D’Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
