Ubisoft tests launching games from Steam without Ubisoft Connect launcher, with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown first

Ubisoft is addressing one of PC players’ long-standing complaints. In the future, games purchased on Steam may no longer require the separate Ubisoft Connect launcher to launch. The company is testing a new solution called Ubisoft Connect Services, which will retain Ubisoft’s features without requiring the traditional launcher to be installed at all.

The first title to test the new feature will be 2024’s Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Ubisoft Connect Services will continue to provide features such as achievements, cross-progression, and other online functionality, while the game itself should launch directly from Steam without an additional Ubisoft Connect window.

Ubisoft describes the change as the first step toward simpler and smoother game launches on Steam. The company plans to gradually expand the new system to more of its titles, but it is not yet known which games will follow or how quickly Ubisoft Connect requirements will be removed from older titles.

The company has also been adjusting how its games work on other platforms in recent months. For example, it has joined the testing of XBOX Disc-to-Digital and is also working with Microsoft to make PC versions of selected Ubisoft games available to players who already own them on XBOX.