Ubisoft is embracing Steam properly and doing away with the Connect launcher

Ubisoft has quietly made one of its biggest PC‑gaming moves in years. Starting with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, the publisher is testing a new system on Steam that delivers Ubisoft Connect features without forcing players to install or launch the Ubisoft Connect PC launcher at all.

In a small update posted to Steam, Ubisoft explained that the new “Ubisoft Connect Services” tool will keep cross‑progression, cross‑play, challenges, rewards and other account‑linked features intact, but remove the requirement for the standalone launcher. Ubisoft describes this first version as “an initial step toward a smoother and more streamlined launch experience on Steam”, adding that it plans to iterate on the system and roll it out to more titles over time.

This is a notable shift for Ubisoft. For years, PC players have been frustrated by the company’s launcher, which often sat between Steam and the game itself, adding extra steps, slowing startup times and creating occasional login issues. Many will be pleased to see it go, although you will likely still need a registered Ubisoft account to access certain game features like cross-save.

Ubisoft says the new system will “progressively evolve and roll out to more Ubisoft games on Steam in the future”, so it shouldn't be too long until we start seeing it in titles like Rainbow Six Siege and Assassin's Creed.

KitGuru Says: Ubisoft Connect isn't going away completely, but this is still a welcome change. Don't rush to uninstall the launcher just yet though, as there are still many titles in Ubisoft's library that will need to be updated. 

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