Steam and Ubisoft have announced that the external Ubisoft Connect PC launcher or the need to run the application in the background to launch Ubisoft games on Steam will gradually be phased out. The second-client requirement, which has been criticized for years, was said to slow down launches, consume resources, and cause connection issues. The new system is being tested with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. The “Ubisoft Connect Services Steam” integration will offer cross-progression, cross-platform support, player security, special missions, and rewards without external software. Ubisoft said it will improve the system to make the Steam experience more seamless.
Why it matters
This step aims to reduce the friction caused by requiring players who play Ubisoft games through Steam to switch between the store and the game’s services. The change could directly affect the game-launch process, particularly for users experiencing long launch times, background software, and connection issues. The preservation of cross-progression, cross-platform support, security features, special missions, and rewards within the new structure is intended to ensure that removing the external application does not mean a loss of services. However, the fact that the transition will be carried out gradually leaves open questions about when each Ubisoft game will be included in this structure and how the application will change in existing games.
Background
Steam is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 7 news articles mentioning this name in the last 90 days; the latest is dated September 9, 2026.