In a swift turn of events, Owlcat has opted to completely eliminate its newly introduced launcher for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, which had a remarkably short lifespan of just 19 hours. The Owlcat Launcher was designed to serve as a hub for news and updates related to the studio’s various games. However, it quickly became a point of contention among players.
Community Response and Immediate Action
Starrok, the community manager for Owlcat, addressed the situation on the Rogue Trader subreddit, explaining that the launcher was intended to resolve an issue where Steam would not register playtime unless the launcher was active. “The team decided to use this background process as a bandaid fix for that,” Starrok noted, acknowledging the oversight in communication regarding this change.
In a follow-up, Starrok expressed regret over the decision, stating, “I know VERY well how that looks, and unfortunately I was not informed about this change.” He assured the community that the team would explore alternative solutions to the time display issue without relying on a memory-consuming process.
However, the situation escalated quickly. Just a day later, Owlcat announced the complete rollback of the launcher, reverting to the previous patch and erasing all changes related to the launcher. The studio thanked the community for their feedback and apologized for any frustration caused by the implementation.
A Brief History of Controversy
This incident is not Owlcat’s first brush with controversy. In 2023, the studio faced backlash from fans, which led to the removal of a data-intensive tool from Wrath of the Righteous. Such swift responses to community feedback are commendable, especially in an industry where some studios might choose to ignore complaints.
While the decision to remove the launcher may have been hasty, it raises questions about the internal communication processes at Owlcat. It seems unlikely that no one within the studio anticipated the potential backlash from the community.
As the dust settles, inquiries have been made to Owlcat regarding the future of the launcher and whether it might return in a different form. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
