Hallelujah. I don’t know why so many companies went down this route, particularly when it’s not the likes of Ubisoft or whatnot with their own desire to half-ass the attempt at making their own Steam. My guess for its removal is to better support Steam Deck, perhaps?
Some games include launchers for practical reasons. Launchers allow you to change settings before having the game up, for example, which can be nice. They also sometimes can do mod management, though this is less common. Paradox does mod management through the launcher, for an example of that.
Usually the launchers suck though and only slow things down, but you can also usually use an argument to skip them.
Keeps users in their wallet garden. Marketers love shoving shit in users faces whenever they launch the game. Inside the game it’s bad for. To advertise whatever other garbage there is, on their launcher they try to grab your attention for their other crap
But see, that’s the thing. They’re just as capable of putting those ads in game too. I definitely would have more visibility on the ads just at the title screen than I would on a launcher I’m clicking through as fast as humanly possible.
We need a term for a Freudian slip caused by mobile autocorrect. Because “wallet garden” is extremely accurate, even if it’s not the intended word choice.
The game can collect data, if that’s what they’re after.
My theory is that it’s all about advertising. It’s another point of contact with the consumer, and another opportunity to make sure every new release is presented to every potential buyer.
Hallelujah. I don’t know why so many companies went down this route, particularly when it’s not the likes of Ubisoft or whatnot with their own desire to half-ass the attempt at making their own Steam. My guess for its removal is to better support Steam Deck, perhaps?
Even CD Project Red added such shit. Instead of directly launching Witcher or Cyberpunk I now have to go through a(nother) launcher now. Pointless.
Baldurs Gate 3 needed one from the beginning as well.
I don’t get it.
Some games include launchers for practical reasons. Launchers allow you to change settings before having the game up, for example, which can be nice. They also sometimes can do mod management, though this is less common. Paradox does mod management through the launcher, for an example of that.
Usually the launchers suck though and only slow things down, but you can also usually use an argument to skip them.
use --launcher-skip start argument for CDPR games
BG3 also has the slightly different --skip-launcher
Ah, good to know. Thanks!
Keeps users in their wallet garden. Marketers love shoving shit in users faces whenever they launch the game. Inside the game it’s bad for. To advertise whatever other garbage there is, on their launcher they try to grab your attention for their other crap
But see, that’s the thing. They’re just as capable of putting those ads in game too. I definitely would have more visibility on the ads just at the title screen than I would on a launcher I’m clicking through as fast as humanly possible.
Then they’d have to update the actual game, as opposed to just updating the launcher when a change needs to be made.
Updating the launcher is quicker and cheaper.
yeah, plus there’s only one launcher, and possibly thousands of games.
If they can convert purchase within their launcher, they don’t pay Steam their cut. That’s it.
That’s against Steam’s TOS, and Valve doesn’t take kindly to that.
…wallet garden? So…like a garden where they grow wallets for you to eat?
I mean, if that’s in your taste palate, bone apple tea, I guess…
man my phone just isn’t my friend today
Now wait, it’s an interesting typo, the double meaning fits so well.
:D
I knew what you meant. I was just really proud of tying it to “bone apple tea”.
I’m only here to amuse myself.
We need a term for a Freudian slip caused by mobile autocorrect. Because “wallet garden” is extremely accurate, even if it’s not the intended word choice.
Fried Ian Slip
That’s actually how I took it at first, seemed highly apropos.
Eggcorn? Rickyism? Though neither is specifically for autocorrect.
Data. Simple as.
The game can collect data, if that’s what they’re after.
My theory is that it’s all about advertising. It’s another point of contact with the consumer, and another opportunity to make sure every new release is presented to every potential buyer.
Indeed, it’s a pre-game forced ad. No other explanation required.
Could be.
What data? Surely the game itself would be just as capable of transmitting that.
Having a launcher open in the background is less conspicuous of having the game open in the background.
$$$$$