Ubisoft Tests a Smoother Steam Experience After Years of Launcher Friction

PC players have spent years navigating a layered launch process when buying Ubisoft games on Steam. A Steam purchase could still require a separate Ubisoft account, launcher login, update cycle, and connection before the game opened. Ubisoft is now testing a less intrusive approach with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, potentially bringing its Steam releases closer to the platform’s usual plug-and-play experience.

A Longstanding Second-Launcher Problem

Ubisoft has operated its own PC services for much of the past two decades, first through Uplay and later through Ubisoft Connect. The company’s platform supports rewards, challenges, cross-progression, and other online functions, but its role alongside Steam has often created unnecessary friction. Players launching an Ubisoft title through Valve’s storefront traditionally had to open Ubisoft Connect as well, complete another login, and wait through a separate update process. That extra software layer became one of the most persistent complaints surrounding Ubisoft’s PC releases.

The Lost Crown Becomes Ubisoft’s Test Case

Ubisoft is testing a new Ubisoft Connect Steam Services tool with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. The system is designed to retain features such as cross-progression, cross-play, player safety tools, challenges, and rewards without requiring the full Ubisoft Connect PC launcher to be installed or opened. Ubisoft has presented the change as an early move toward a more streamlined Steam launch process and says the service will continue to improve. The company has not yet identified which game will receive the feature next.

Why the Change Matters for Steam Deck Players

The test could be particularly valuable on Steam Deck, where desktop-focused launchers can be awkward to navigate with a controller. Login prompts, update windows, and separate interfaces add more friction on a handheld device than they do on a traditional PC. Early community reactions to the change have been positive, especially among Steam Deck users familiar with secondary launchers on SteamOS. Ubisoft Connect is not being removed entirely; instead, its required services could become far less visible while remaining connected to the game.

A Gradual Return to Valve’s Storefront

The move also reflects Ubisoft’s broader return to Steam. The publisher moved many major PC releases away from Valve’s storefront beginning in 2019, then later brought titles including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla back to Steam. As the storefront has regained importance for Ubisoft’s PC distribution, the full-launcher requirement has remained one of the clearest differences between buying an Ubisoft game and purchasing many other Steam titles. The new system could reduce that distinction without forcing Ubisoft to abandon its account ecosystem.

Key points

• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the first confirmed test case.
• The new Steam Services tool does not require the full Ubisoft Connect PC launcher.
• Cross-progression, cross-play, rewards, challenges, and safety features remain supported.
• Ubisoft plans to expand the service, but has not named additional games.

How the Steam launch experience is changing

Expert View

The test signals a practical compromise between Steam convenience and Ubisoft’s desire to retain its own account services. If the approach expands successfully, Ubisoft could make its games more appealing to Steam users and reduce a major barrier for Steam Deck players without giving up cross-progression or other connected features. For now, the rollout remains limited, so many Ubisoft games will likely continue using the traditional launcher setup.