Gamers didn’t want to download Ubisoft’s terrible PC game launcher, so the company has been overhauling it to see if it can change their minds.
Ubisoft comes out an update to the PC game launcher that has a new interface and is packed with more features. The updated Ubisoft Connect client for PC, currently in beta, adds improvements to game library navigation with larger and wider icons, along with additional information that can tell you at a glance whether the game has been downloaded or installed.
The Ubisoft Connect update comes after the company streamed its summer showcase earlier this month, including the upcoming one Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Connect, like a few publisher-owned first-party launchers, is rejected due to its terrible performance, archaic design and clunky interfaces compared to the real OG – Steam.
Ubisoft’s new Connect redesign comes on the heels of a well-received update to competitor Steam’s game launcher. Connect, like EA’s app (formally Origin), has struggled to gain traction with PC gamers who rely on the more reliable Steam and GOG platforms.
The project’s creative director, Charles Huteau, stated in a press release that the new app includes accessibility improvements and makes it easier for players to find what they’re looking for. “We’ve taken the time to really process all the feedback we’ve received about the desktop app over the years,” says Huteau.
A major change in Connect’s new library interface includes a unified interface where all games available to users, including those from Ubisoft’s Plus service, now appear together in-line. And now Ubisoft is adding some at-a-glance information for games that can quickly tell users how much they’ve progressed in the game or, like Steam, whether the title has even been downloaded or needs to install updates.
Social features are also central to the new interface. Players can create new profiles from within the app and quickly start a Share Play stream for friends to watch. Ubisoft says it should be easier to find friends and players to play games together, and you should be able to quickly see what games they’re playing and who’s already together.
Ubisoft claims that Connect comes with a new framework with performance improvements under the hood and allows people within the company to easily contribute to customer development. The beta experience is being rolled out “gradually” to users of the desktop app and can be activated with a button at the top of the window as soon as it’s available.
