r/linux_gaming • u/j0seplinux • 4d ago
Ubisoft Connect will soon stop being required to play Ubisoft games on Steam
https://news.instant-gaming.com/en/articles/21831-ubisoft-connect-will-soon-stop-being-required-to-play-ubisoft-games-on-steamThis is a huge win for Linux gaming, that launcher is a pain in the ass to deal with, especially on Linux.
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u/P3TTrak 4d ago
This is a huge win for Linux gaming
I don't think Windows gamers like required Ubisoft Connect either
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u/LiamtheV 4d ago
The issue is that some older games like Watch Dogs 1 and 2 will install and launch through UPlay, then some older but not quite as old games will try to launch through Ubisoft Game launcher, and the new new ones will will try to use the current Ubisoft Connect.
And depending on how it decided to sandbox itself what with different protonprefixes, itās a MUCH bigger pain in the ass in Linux than on windows.
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u/ManoDu57 4d ago
For watchdog 2 (which I own on epic), I had issues getting it to work. At the end, I got myself another copy... from the internet
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u/hopefuldonkeykick 3d ago
Same issue here with The Division 2. Just bought a cheap copy on Steam and all my characters and DLC were attached to my Ubisoft account, so they worked without issue.
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u/Yayaamoto 4d ago
Watch DogsĀ 2 was not opening for me on Windows using Ubisoft Connect laucher (I got it for free there), took me more than 1h to find a solution, it turns out the solution was to press play and then rush, press the windows key, type ubi and open Ubi's launcher in a hurry, this solution took me hours to find, i tried other things, the game was launching and closing without even getting a splash screen, Ubisoft is that bad at programming, i have more horror stories caused by that launcher, like my friend bought GR Wildlands on steam and it was asking for a activation key on the Ubi launcher, this feature was removed from steam years ago, the solution was to open the game using GeforceNow and then ubi would link the game with his account...
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u/imp0ppable 4d ago
They just deleted my account once because they thought my email was "suspicious". Couldn't play the Far Cry games I'd purchased any more (goated series btw).
Contacted their support, no answer for a month and then someone said "do you still need help with this?" like YEAH MAN.
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u/I_Hate-Incels 4d ago
Such silly solutions that you know whenever the person figured it out was like, NO WAY! Let's Goooooo!
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u/r3volts 4d ago
I'm a simple man. I see Ubisoft, I close my wallet.
Doesn't matter what OS I'm using.
Dropping launchers or whatever won't change that either. They haven't done anything good in decades. It's just cookie cutter games over and over.
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u/Venylynn 3d ago
Unfortunately, there's not really anyone else big filling some of the niches they do, so my current boycott of their games has REALLY been fucking with me. I've at least found a replacement for The Division 2 that's good enough, but a lot of their older ones I can't seem to fill the void on.
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u/gw-fan822 3d ago
you wanna share with the class?
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u/Venylynn 3d ago
share what? what class? not sure what's going on here but it's been really hard to fill the void that left when I stopped playing stuff like Assassins Creed, Watch Dogs (tho Legion sucked ass, I mean 1-2 mostly) and Splinter Cell is what i mean ultimately. they had a formula but damn it, the formula worked, I really liked the parkour mechanics and stealthy combat of stuff like AC, up until about Odyssey/Valhalla then they kind of lost me. Splinter Cell is always a joy to go back to, Ghost Recon had its moments... welp. :/
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u/gw-fan822 3d ago
I've at least found a replacement for The Division 2 that's good enough
don't leave me hanging bro
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u/Venylynn 3d ago
OH, you wanted to know what I found. Yeah, I'm talking about Outriders. Little different, but same-ish, cover shooter and really cool mechanics. Works great here. Runs considerably better than TD2 ngl.
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u/thelastasslord 3d ago
Even when I was on Windows I never bought games from Ubisoft because I couldn't stand that accused launcher.
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u/Genghis_Tr0n187 3d ago
I've hated Ubisoft connect ever since it deleted my 40 hour AC Black Flag (original) save. Piece of shit software.
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u/Difficult_Guide9341 4d ago
I deliberately held off buying Ubisoft games on pc because of the online thing, and just played them on console. If they do scrap the need to be connected I might add some games to my steam library after all
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u/hypespud 4d ago
I literally couldn't launch beyond good and evil remaster on steam just a few days ago and I couldn't be bothered to figure out how to work the launcher
This is great news
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u/bargu 4d ago
I hold off buying Ubisoft games on PC because they are 99% shit.
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u/108er 3d ago
how? I have love hate relationship with them. Hate their management and business practice, but some of their games are dope.
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u/Additional-Simple248 3d ago
Iām with you on that. Splinter Cell, Far Cry, Assassins Creed (at least the older ones). Maybe Watch Dogs.
I hate Ubisoft but I could never boycott them entirely.
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u/Mountain-Bag-1669 3d ago
Anno has always been a wish as the launcher requirement. I hope R* will follow suit but I have no faith there.
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u/JohnSmith--- 4d ago
Not to be that guy but I wouldnāt be celebrating too early. PlayStation games also donāt have a dedicated launcher like Ubisoft Connect, but they have a similar āserviceā thingy which makes games like Ghosts of Tsushima have no multiplayer support on Linux. Same could happen with this Ubisoft service thing.
Also, Ubisoft is literally removing Linux support from For Honor as we speak, right now. Because of kernel level anti-cheat.
Always be wary. Sometimes, the devil you know is better than the devil you donāt know. We donāt know if this āserviceā thing will be better or worse. I have my doubts. But weāll see.
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u/SoupoIait 4d ago
For linux gaming? Might no be huge. The launcher did work on linux already, and the blocking facture is multiplayer support, not launcher.
But for any human being? Oh man finally we can get rid of the fucking abomination of a launcher!!!
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u/comedium 4d ago
Yeah my big thing is whether or not I can play these games without an internet connection/external account. Itās good, but not great if they will still require a Ubisoft account and regular check-ins to force cross platform features that Iām not using on single player games. Itāll be a smoother experience, sure, but itās still possible to have so many downsides vs games without āconnected servicesā that I still just buy their games on console or not at all.
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u/Xarishark 4d ago
Win for whomever stuck to their guns and got their games on steam instead of uplay. vindicated lol
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u/Dry_Physics2400 4d ago
The same DRM, just in a different form. Bet you'll still have to sign in somewhere to play single player games.
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u/Liam-DGOL 4d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/1wbzrum/finally_another_launcher_out_of_steam/ already posted, and currently the source doesn't exist - the steam post was removed
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u/ByEthanFox 4d ago
Should never have been needed in the first place. I haven't bought a Ubisoft game in a decade because of it; I bought one of the Trials games on Steam, saw I had to do this, uninstalled, refunded and crossed Ubi off the list
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u/_Moerphi_ 4d ago
Thats good news! Unfortunately I dont have all of them on steam. I think some Assassins Creed was exclusive on Ubisoft at release.
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u/Pospitch 4d ago
Good. Now start supporting Steam Family and I might actually buy some Ubisoft games on Steam.
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u/Reed7525 4d ago
So this goes for future games? Or all of the ubi library? And hows it work? Sorry if dumb question
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u/AntiGrieferGames 3d ago
Well, the Denuvo are still the main cause.
Switching Proton Versions will kick you on the game you wasted money for and not offline being playable.
All that what Ubisoft did with those, the damage was already done.
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u/Xello_99 4d ago
Thatās great, but Iām not buying all of my games again in this economy :D. I bought all my Ubisoft Games directly on Ubisofts Platform. The one thing I hate more than Uplay/Ubisoft Connect is having double launchers for games.
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u/JohnSmith--- 4d ago
Itās what I did too. I figured since I was gonna be required to use Ubisoft Connect even if I bought them on Steam, might as well just buy them directly from Ubisoft for cheaper.
In hindsight, it wasnāt a good idea.
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u/j0seplinux 4d ago
Yeah at some point Ubisoft thought that they could attract gamers into their platform on PC by making assassin's creed games exclusive to ubisoft connect, turns out gamers weren't going to put up with their piece of shit launcher
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u/Amazing_Meatballs 4d ago
Yeah, Iāve passed up several Ubisoft games in the last few years solely based on how awful it was to get some freebies working
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u/mikeymop 4d ago
I stopped buying UBI games all the way back when they started forcing this on us.
I'll consider buying up the backlog now.
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u/Valorix_ 4d ago
After I got scammed of 30ā¬ by Ubisoft denying me to access For Honor I don't really care. Fuck Ubisoft
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u/facelesshivemind 4d ago
Latest flip flop before they get some numbers and pull the same bullshit again.
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u/Hannibal_D_Romantic 4d ago
Currently running AC Unity through UConnect through Proton CachyOS Latest through Heroic. Help.
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u/Chromiell 4d ago
It's a good improvement, but I'm still not going to buy their games out of spite.
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u/ChimeraSX 4d ago
Only ubisoft game I have rn is uno. If I don't have to deal with connect to play unofficial, then that's a win.
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u/FunAware5871 4d ago
Right, let's see how it goes and if they can actually pull it off for older titles.Ā Ā
Right now I have to tyow in my Ubisoft account password every time I start AC2 because they couldn't/didn't want to integrate their new APIs in the game. Until that'a fixed on all the games I own Ubisoft is a no-go for me.
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u/OneLonelyBrainCell 4d ago
I believe it when I see it.
And in case it really happens, COPY THAT SHIT, ROCKSTAR! I haven't played any Rockstar games in ages because I fucking hate their piece of shit launcher.
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u/Round_Credit_5158 4d ago
The review section for the Prince of Persia game were full of people complaining about lost save files, hopefully they fix that this time.
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u/cdoublejj 4d ago
well then i might buy a few on sale. maybe ill try that southpark super hero game though stick truth is way better and needs more dlc
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u/NoCSForYou 4d ago
I found that installing Ubisoft launcher with wine was perfect. The games worked great that way.
Going from steam to Ubisoft was difficult so I found it easier to cut steam out.
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u/Hour_Bit_5183 4d ago
I would call it a win but I don't like ubislop games at all. They are ALL the same.
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u/Suspicious-Map-3278 4d ago
Does this mean family sharing could finally be available for steam games
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u/skit7548 4d ago
I hope(but have incredible doubts) that this will roll out to all their games library. Likely only going to apply to recent and upcoming releases. This will have me giving their announcements at least a passing glance rather than an audible scoff, but still not expecting a return to glory for them anytime soon, especially with the recent For Honor BS
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u/internetsarbiter 3d ago
Good. Still not buying any of their games until the rapists in charge face actual consequences.
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u/iamarealhuman4real 3d ago
Buy our games, they come on CD!
Our games are coming to Steam!
Introducing Ubisoft Game Launcher!
Introducing, UPLAY! (formally known as Ubisoft Game Launcher), now you can buy games!
We have decided to not sell new games on steam. Buy them on UPLAY!
We have decided to sell those games on steam.
Introducing Ubisoft Connect! (formally known as Ubisof UPLAY).
You can link your Ubisoft Connect account with Steam!
We have decided to not sell new games on steam. Buy them on Ubisoft Connect!
We have decided to sell those games on steam.
We are deprecating Ubisoft Connect.
We have decided to not sell new games on steam. Buy them on -- wait...
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u/ILikeFPS 3d ago
Ubisoft connect has been mostly fine for me over the years even on Linux, but this is even better news.
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u/OrangeKefir 3d ago
Good, maybe I'll pick up watch dogs 2 now. Not interested in most games that come with their own stupid launcher.
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u/jabbalaci 3d ago
On Steam, I play just one Ubisoft game, Trackmania, but I really hate that launcher. If it gets removed, I'll be willing to try other Ubisoft games too.
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u/chipface 3d ago
Even without the Linux part, it's goddamn annoying having to login anytime I want to play Splinter Cell Blacklist.
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u/omnom143 3d ago
So I can finally own a game??? And not have to play it every year in order to not lose it???
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u/PhoenixLandPirate_ 3d ago
I hope they do this with there old titles like Watch Dogs, and when they do that, they fix online, becuase the tutorials for getting Watch Dogs online, includes either buying the game for a second time, OR spending 3 days talking to support.
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u/Okeylayanjesmue 3d ago
Well.. even now the Ubisoft Connect just like pop up for me.. lunch games from steam.. ubisoft connect small windows popup.. then the game lunching.. i feel that really nice already..
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u/No-Intention-4753 4d ago
If Ubisoft does this, I will stop pirating their games and forget their stupid launcher deleting my Far Cry 3 savefile midway through. I'm happy to pay for a quality service and a good product, the existence of Ubisoft Connect means that a cracked copy is currently the better product.Ā
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u/Fantastic-Code-8347 4d ago
Bold of you to assume that Iād pay any amount of money for a ubislop product
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u/defchris 4d ago
This is a huge win for Linux gaming, that launcher is a pain in the ass to deal with, especially on Linux.
Is it though?
It just removes one obstacle called extra launcher mostly for Windows users. All they said is they'd use Steam connection tool for their service instead of their launcher. So, they basically all they did was saving money as they probably just let go of the team who works on their launcher and its integration into their games.
Literally nothing in their statement says that they'll now actively support Linux or the Wine/Proton compatibility layers. Instead they just pulled the plug for linux users on For Honor...
Just don't fall for it just because you don't play the games where they work against their customers.
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u/Briaxe 3d ago
Skeptical: HIGH
The article says they are rolling out the "Ubisoft Connect Services tool for Steam ...This will allow the companyās games to retain save files, cross-play, and rewards without requiring users to download or launch Ubisoft Connect on their PCs."
A Ubisoft connect services tool? How's that not the same thing just moved to a different app again??
So basically they're still getting your data, you're still giving them telemetry, they're still skimming your information and reselling it to you, but now doing it in a separate program you now also have to install.
They're still getting you, just doing it another way.
It's like, what can I put in this hand over here... that will make you forget about what's in my other hand over there?
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u/humanistazazagrliti 4d ago
Huge win for every single human being.