Ubisoft Connect Requirements Are Being Phased Out On Steam

Published Sep 10, 2026, 5:30 AM EDT James Lucas is an Executive Editor at TheGamer who has worked in professional journalism since 2018. A Newcastle University graduate with a degree in Journalism, Media, and Culture, they have written hundreds of guides, news stories, and original reports, with bylines in IGN, NME, GaymingMag, and VG247, sourcing interviews with studio heads, legendary industry figures, prominent actors, and more. An expert on FPS games, Soulslikes, RPGs, and survival horror, James has intimate knowledge of a wide variety of titles, providing in-depth coverage and exclusive profiles. Some of the games they have extensively covered include: Half-Life 3, Counter-Strike, Elden Ring, and Fallout. They pride themselves on their consistently thorough research, leveraging nearly a decade of industry experience. You can reach them at James.t@thegamer.com When purchasing a Ubisoft game on Steam, typically, you also need to download the separate Ubisoft Connect launcher to play it. Negative reviews often cite this as a point of contention, as Ubisoft and other publishers have long been criticized for cluttering PCs with needless launchers just to open games you had already purchased on Steam directly. However, after more than a decade, Ubisoft is finally phasing out that requirement. “Starting with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, we are testing a new Ubisoft Connect Services Steam tool that keeps Ubisoft game features such as cross-progression, cross-play, player safety, challenges and rewards, among others, without requiring the Ubisoft Connect PC launcher to be installed or launched,” Ubisoft announced. “This first version is an initial step toward a smoother and more streamlined launch experience on Steam,” it continued. “We will continue to iterate and improve Ubisoft Connect Services over time, with the goal of delivering the features and services players use and expect while making the Steam experience as seamless as possible. Ubisoft Connect Services will progressively evolve and roll out to more Ubisoft games on Steam in the future.” One Less Launcher In so many words, Ubisoft Connect will function like it does on consoles. You don’t need to download a separate launcher on PS5 or Xbox — all you need to do is log in. The distinction is important, because Ubisoft isn't removing Ubisoft Connect from its Steam games. Instead, the company is separating the services players actually need from the PC launcher itself. Players shouldn't have to think about Connect as a separate application, meaning there's one less login window between them and the game they actually want to play. Ubisoft has been pushing to improve its user experience on Steam ever since it returned to the platform in 2022 with the release of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, ending a controversial three-year hiatus. In the following years, Ubisoft began to implement achievements for several of its games, including The Division 2, Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, For Honor, Watch Dogs, Immortals Fenyx Rising, and Far Cry 3. Removing the launcher requirement is yet another step in making the Steam experience less of a hassle, while still allowing players to redeem the umpteenth Ezio skin in the umpteenth Assassin's Creed game. Win-win. For now, this only applies to The Lost Crown, but if the steady achievement rollout is anything to go by, we could see the launcher requirement removed from future releases on day one. Date Founded March 28, 1986 CEO Yves Guillemot Subsidiaries Massive Entertainment, Ubisoft Paris, Ubisoft Quebec, Ubisoft San Francisco Headquarters Saint Mandé, France Known For Rainbow Six, Prince of Persia, Far Cry, The Crew